Pacemaker what is it

Your surgeon will make a small incision near your shoulder. Then the surgeon will lead the wire through your vein to your heart.

An X-ray machine will help guide your surgeon through the process. The ventricle is the lower chamber of the heart. The other end of the wire attaches to a pulse generator. This contains the battery and electrical circuits. The atrium is the upper chamber of the heart. Every medical procedure has some risks. Most risks associated with a pacemaker are from the surgical installation. They include:. You may go home that evening, or you could stay in the hospital overnight.

Your doctor can reprogram the device as needed at follow-up appointments. Over the next month, you should avoid rigorous exercise and heavy lifting. You may also need to take over-the-counter medications for any discomfort. Ask your doctors what pain relievers are safest for you. It allows your doctor to receive information from your pacemaker without the need for an office visit. Modern pacemakers are not as sensitive to electrical devices as the old ones, but certain devices could cause interference with your pacemaker.

For example, you should avoid:. Although the risk is low, people should keep these devices at least six inches away from implanted medical devices. This especially applies to pacemakers and cardiac defibrillators. An echocardiogram test uses sound waves to produce live images of your heart. It's used to monitor your heart function.

Learn more about what to…. Experts say the small appendage can trap blood in the heart chamber and increase the risk of clots. After a heart attack, your doctor will start you on a treatment plan to prevent a future heart attack or other complication. You should immediately inform your nurse if you feel any chest pain or tightness, or any other pain at the incision site. After the period of bed rest has been completed, you may get out of bed with assistance.

The nurse will assist you the first time you get up, and will check your blood pressure while you are lying in bed, sitting, and standing. You should move slowly when getting up from the bed to avoid any dizziness from the period of bedrest. Your doctor will visit with you in your room while you are recovering. The doctor will give you specific instructions and answer any questions you may have.

Once your blood pressure, pulse, and breathing are stable and you are alert, you will be taken to your hospital room or discharged home. If the procedure is performed on an outpatient basis, you may be allowed to leave after you have completed the recovery process.

However, it is common to spend at least one night in the hospital after pacemaker implantation for observation. You should be able to return to your daily routine within a few days. Your doctor will tell you if you will need to take more time in returning to your normal activities. You should not do any lifting or pulling on anything for a few weeks. You may be instructed to limit movement of the arm on the side that the pacemaker was placed, based on your doctor's preferences. You will most likely be able to resume your usual diet, unless your doctor instructs you differently.

It will be important to keep the insertion site clean and dry. You will be given instructions about bathing and showering. Ask your doctor when you will be able to return to work. The nature of your occupation, your overall health status, and your progress will determine how soon you may return to work. Increased pain, redness, swelling, or bleeding or other drainage from the insertion site.

Your doctor may give you additional or alternate instructions after the procedure, depending on your particular situation. The following precautions should always be considered. Discuss the following in detail with your doctor, or call the company that made your device:.

Always carry an ID card that states you have a pacemaker. In addition, you may want to wear a medical identification bracelet indicating that you have a pacemaker. Let screeners know you have a pacemaker before going through airport security detectors.

In general airport detectors are safe for pacemakers, but the small amount of metal in the pacemaker and leads may set off the alarm. If you are selected for additional screening by hand-held detector devices, politely remind the screeners that the detector wand should not be held over your pacemaker for longer than a few seconds, as these devices contain magnets and thus may affect the function or programming of your pacemaker.

You may not have a magnetic resonance imaging MRI procedure unless you have a specially designed pacemaker. You should also avoid large magnetic fields such as power generation sites and industrial sites such as automobile junkyards that use large magnets. Turn off large motors, such as cars or boats, when working close to them as they may create a magnetic field. Avoid high-voltage or radar machinery, such as radio or television transmitters, electric arc welders, high-tension wires, radar installations, or smelting furnaces.

If you are having a surgical procedure performed, inform your surgeon that you have a pacemaker well before the operation. Also ask your cardiologist's advice on whether anything special should be done prior to and during the surgery, as the electrocautery device that controls bleeding may interfere with the pacemaker. Sometimes the pacemaker's programming will be temporarily changed using a magnet during the surgery to minimize the possibility of interference from the electrocautery.

When involved in a physical, recreational, or sporting activity, protect yourself from trauma to the pacemaker. A blow to the chest near the pacemaker can affect its functioning.

If you are hit in that area, you may want to see your doctor. Cell phones in the U. Avoid carrying a cell phone in your breast pocket over your pacemaker. Always consult your doctor when you feel ill after an activity, or when you have questions about beginning a new activity. Always consult your doctor if you have any questions concerning the use of certain equipment near your pacemaker. Health Home Treatments, Tests and Therapies.

The heart's electrical system The heart is basically a pump made up of muscle tissue that is stimulated by electrical currents, which normally follow a specific circuit within the heart. What is a pacemaker?

Reasons for the procedure A pacemaker may be inserted in order to stimulate a faster heart rate when the heart is beating too slowly, and causing problems that cannot otherwise be corrected. Some examples of heart rate and rhythm problems for which a pacemaker might be inserted include: Bradycardia.

This occurs when the sinus node causes the heart to beat too slowly. Tachy-brady syndrome. This is characterized by alternating fast and slow heartbeats. There may be other reasons for your doctor to recommend a pacemaker insertion. Risks of the procedure Possible risks of pacemaker include, but are not limited to, the following: Bleeding from the incision or catheter insertion site Damage to the vessel at the catheter insertion site Infection of the incision or catheter site Pneumothorax.

Patients who are allergic to or sensitive to medications or latex should notify their doctor. Before the procedure Your doctor will explain the procedure to you and offer you the opportunity to ask any questions that you might have about the procedure: You will be asked to sign a consent form that gives your permission to do the test.

If you are pregnant or suspect that you are pregnant, you should notify your doctor. Based on your medical condition, your doctor may request other specific preparation. A pacemaker can ensure that the upper chambers contract properly. If a pacemaker is treating an arrhythmia, it is usually permanent. Doctors can use pacemakers to monitor these types of conditions, and the devices can record a range of important health indicators, including heart activity. Otherwise, a person may need a temporary pacemaker, typically in response to acute heart trauma, such as a heart attack or drug overdose.

There will be forms to fill out, and the person will also need to fast. Before the surgery, a healthcare provider will insert an intravenous drip into a vein in the arm or hand.

This will deliver a sedative and any other necessary medications. The doctor will then clean the injection site, which is near the shoulder. Next, they will insert a needle into a vein just below the collarbone. The doctor will use this needle to thread the wires that control the pacemaker through the veins, toward the heart. There are between one and three wires, depending on the type of pacemaker. The doctor will use fluoroscopy to guide the needles correctly. This involves continuous X-ray imaging that feeds live pictures to a monitor.

They will test the wires to ensure that they are working properly before proceeding. Finally, they will seal the incision and use an electrocardiogram to test the device. After surgery, it is often necessary to stay overnight in the hospital. This allows doctors and nurses to ensure that the device is working properly.

Inserting a pacemaker is a relatively safe procedure. A person is likely to feel some pain or tenderness around the area of insertion, but this should be temporary.

Other risks involve:. A period of rest will be necessary, but a person can usually return to their regular routine within a few days. For the first 8 weeks , it is important to avoid sudden movements that involve moving the arms away from the body. An arrhythmia is a lifelong condition that can become severe.