[Electric counter shock therapy as a rehabilitation stage for patients with surgically treated acquired heart diseases]

A total of 910 case-reports on electropulse treatment of fibrillation arrhythmia are analyzed in the light of rehabilitating patients operated upon for acquired heart diseases. Experience has shown that re-establishment and retention of the sinus rhythm is of decisive importance in the restitution of physical activity and capacity for work. However, investigations have confirmed that the electropulse therapy helps achieve but good immediate results, whereas the remote ones remain unsatisfactory. The problem of stabilizing the rhythm still awaits its solution. The application of agents blocking the beta-adrenoreceptors has but insignificantly reduced the incidence of recurrent episodes of auricular fibrillation.