Final answer:
Cardioversion is synchronized to the R-wave and often uses sedation for nonemergent situations, while defibrillation delivers an unsynchronized shock for life-threatening arrhythmias. Cardioversion typically uses lower energy compared to defibrillation.
Step-by-step explanation:
You prepare a patient for synchronized cardioversion knowing that cardioversion differs from defibrillation in that patients should be sedated if cardioversion is done on a nonemergent basis. Unlike defibrillation, which is an unsynchronized delivery of electrical energy for life-threatening arrhythmias like ventricular fibrillation, cardioversion is synchronized to the R-wave (QRS complex) of the heart rhythm and is used for certain types of supraventricular tachyarrhythmias, including atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter. The synchronization helps avoid delivering a shock during the vulnerable period of the cardiac cycle (T-wave), which might induce ventricular fibrillation.
In summary, while both procedures involve delivering a shock to the heart to restore normal rhythm, cardioversion is synchronized and typically uses lower energy compared to the higher energies employed in defibrillation. Furthermore, since cardioversion is usually planned and not used in an immediate life-threatening situation, patients are often sedated to ease the discomfort of the procedure. Automated external defibrillators (AEDs) are used in emergency situations and are capable of analyzing the patient's heart rhythm and administering the required treatment.