Heart Pacemakers

Dr. Al Loujami Mazen

Cardiology

Damascus - Syria

The human heart beats an average of 60 to 100 times a minute. It is normal for the speed and regularity of your heartbeat to vary (for instance, it increases if you are

 anxious or have just exerted yourself). The heart has a natural pacemaker—a special group of cells that send electrical impulses over the heart and keep it beating at an appropriate and regular rate. If your heart beats too slowly to meet the needs of your body, you may need an artificial pacemaker to make sure your heart beats at a sufficient rate.

Pacemakers are complex devices and therefore require careful follow-up after they are inserted

WHAT IS AN ARTIFICIAL PACEMAKER?

An artificial pacemaker is a small battery-operated device that helps the heart beat at the correct rate. It sends electrical impulses to the heart through a wire(s), replacing the function of your natural pacemaker.

WHO MIGHT NEED A PACEMAKER?

• Someone whose heart beats too slowly, causing symptoms such as excessive fatigue, severe dizziness, or fainting spells

• Someone who needs to maintain a minimal heart rate after treatment for a rapid, irregular heart rate.

TYPES OF PACEMAKERS

• Permanent, or internal, pacemakers are placed under the skin, usually in the loose tissues of the chest wall below the clavicle (collarbone). They turn themselves off when your heartbeat is faster than a certain speed and turn themselves on when your heartbeat is slower than a certain speed. A physician needs to periodically check the pacemaker batteries and perform a simple surgery to replace them when they are low (batteries last an average of 4 to 8 years).

• Temporary, or external, pacemakers are used for a limited period of time and are worn outside of the body clipped to a belt or pants. Only the wire(s) and electrode(s) are surgically implanted in the chest by a simple surgical procedure.

LET PEOPLE KNOW YOU HAVE A PACEMAKER

Carry a card with you at all times in your wallet indicating that you have a pacemaker. Equipment used by doctors and dentists can affect pacemaker function and, in certain situations, you may not be able to inform a medical professional that you have one.