JAPANESE HEART JOURNAL, vol.45, no.6, pp.929-936, 2004 (SCI-Expanded)
Atrial fibrillation (AF) has been treated with DC shocks delivered transthoracically, but in 5-30% of patients, the procedures fail to restore sinus rhythm (SR). We hypothesized that applying high energy shock waves to the chest may overcome the inadequate penetration of electrical shock to the atrium. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of higher energy external DC shock for the treatment of refractory AF coexisting with cardiovascular disease using a synchronized double external defibrillator.