A pacemaker is a small device that's placed in the chest or abdomen to help control

abnormal heart rhythms. This device uses electrical pulses to prompt the heart to beat
at a normal rate.

Heart pacemakers are devices ,placed in the chest or abdomen ,that help manipulate a
person’s heartbeat via sending electrical pulses.

Pacemakers are used to treat arrhythmias (ah-RITH-me-ahs). Arrhythmias are

problems with the rate or rhythm of the heartbeat. During an arrhythmia, the heart can
beat too fast, too slow, or with an irregular rhythm.

The pacemakers main purpose is to help people suffering from fast, slow, or irregular
heartbeats. This disease is known as arrhythmias.

A heartbeat that's too fast is called tachycardia (TAK-ih-KAR-de-ah). A heartbeat that's

too slow is called bradycardia (bray-de-KAR-de-ah).

A fast heart rate is called tachycardia, while a slow one is called bradycardia.

During an arrhythmia, the heart may not be able to pump enough blood to the body.
This can cause symptoms such as fatigue (tiredness), shortness of breath, or fainting.
Severe arrhythmias can damage the body's vital organs and may even cause loss of
consciousness or death.

If the heart is not pumping enough blood to a body, a person may suffer from many
disorders such as fatigue, shortness of breath, or fainting. If a person is dealing with
arrhythmia, the heart may not pump enough blood which can harm several organs of
the human body.

A pacemaker can relieve some arrhythmia symptoms, such as fatigue and fainting. A
pacemaker also can help a person who has abnormal heart rhythms resume a more
active lifestyle.

To help cure people from arrhythmia, pacemakers come in handy. They can alleviate
some problems like fatigue and painting ; moreover , they help a person suffering from
abnormal heart rhythms to indulge a much better life.

Understanding the Heart's Electrical System

Electrical System of a Heart
 Your heart has its own internal electrical system that controls the rate and rhythm of
your heartbeat. With each heartbeat, an electrical signal spreads from the top of your
heart to the bottom. As the signal travels, it causes the heart to contract and pump
blood.

The rate of your heartbeat is controlled by your own internal heart electrical system.
Each heartbeat initiates an electrical signal spreading from the top to the bottom of
your heart which causes the heart to contract and pump. The electrical spreading starts
in a group of cells known as the sinus node.

First, the heart's two upper chambers, the atria (AY-tree-uh), contract. This contraction
pumps blood into the heart's two lower chambers, the ventricles (VEN-trih-kuls). The
ventricles then contract and pump blood to the rest of the body. The combined
contraction of the atria and ventricles is a heartbeat.

The heart consists of two upper chambers called the atria, and two lower chambers
which are known as the ventricles. First, the atria contract, leading to pumps of blood
to flow into the ventricles. Then, the ventricles contract and pump blood to the rest of
the body. A heartbeat is the combined contraction of the atria and ventricles.

Overview
Faulty electrical signaling in the heart causes arrhythmias. Pacemakers use low-energy
electrical pulses to overcome this faulty electrical signaling. Pacemakers can:

 Speed up a slow heart rhythm.

 Help control an abnormal or fast heart rhythm.
 Make sure the ventricles contract normally if the atria are quivering instead of beating
with a normal rhythm (a condition called atrial fibrillation).
 Coordinate electrical signaling between the upper and lower chambers of the heart.
 Coordinate electrical signaling between the ventricles. Pacemakers that do this are
called cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) devices. CRT devices are used to
treat heart failure.
 Prevent dangerous arrhythmias caused by a disorder called long QT syndrome.

Low-energy electrical pulses can speed up or control an abnormal heart rhythm and
prevent dangerous arrhythmias, caused by a disorder called long QT syndrome, from
happening. Moreover they coordinate the electrical signaling between the upper and
lower chambers ,and the electrical signaling between the ventricles.
CRT devices are one type of pacemakers ,they are used to treat heart failures.
Pacemakers also can monitor and record your heart's electrical activity and heart
rhythm. Newer pacemakers can monitor your blood temperature, breathing rate, and
other factors. They also can adjust your heart rate to changes in your activity.

Pacemakers can be temporary or permanent. Temporary pacemakers are used to treat

short-term heart problems, such as a slow heartbeat that's caused by a heart
attack, heart surgery, or an overdose of medicine.

Pacemakers keep track of a heart’s electrical activity and its rhythm. Recently designed
pacemakers can keep an eye on blood temperature, breathing rate. In addition to that,
they can adjust heart rates to changes in a person’s activity.

Pacemakers may be implanted temporarily or permanently. Pacemakers that are

temporarily implanted are knows as temporary pacemakers, while those that are
permanently implanted are permanent pacemakers.

Temporary pacemakers are used to treat minor heart problems, such as slow
heartbeats that are caused by heart surgeries. They may be implanted until a
temporary condition goes away.

Temporary pacemakers also are used during emergencies. They might be used until
your doctor can implant a permanent pacemaker or until a temporary condition goes
away. If you have a temporary pacemaker, you'll stay in a hospital as long as the
device is in place.

Permanent pacemakers are used to control long-term heart rhythm problems.

How does a pacemaker work ?

A pacemaker consists of a battery, a computerized generator, and wires with sensors at

their tips. (The sensors are called electrodes.) The battery powers the generator, and
both are surrounded by a thin metal box. The wires connect the generator to the heart.

A pacemaker helps monitor and control your heartbeat. The electrodes detect your
heart's electrical activity and send data through the wires to the computer in the
generator.

A pacemaker is comprised of a battery, a computerized generator, and wires with

sensors at their tips. The sensors are referred to as electrodes. Of course, the generator
is powered up by the battery, and a thin metal box surrounds both. The heart is
connected to the generator via the wires.

As stated before, pacemakers help keep track of a person’s heartbeat, and controlling
it. The generator’s computer receives data from the electrodes that send their data
through the wires.

If your heart rhythm is abnormal, the computer will direct the generator to send
electrical pulses to your heart. The pulses travel through the wires to reach your heart.

Suppose for example that a person’s heart rate is abnormal. The computer will guide
the generator to send electrical pulses through the wires to reach the heart.

The pacemaker's computer also records your heart's electrical activity and heart
rhythm. Your doctor will use these recordings to adjust your pacemaker so it works
better for you.

Your heart’s electrical activity and your heart rhythm are recorded and stored on the
pacemaker’s computer. Thus, the doctor will be able to adjust the pacemaker so it
works better for you.

Your doctor can program the pacemaker's computer with an external device. He or she
doesn't have to use needles or have direct contact with the pacemaker.

The doctor doesn’t need to have direct contact with the pacemaker, he can program it
with an external device.

Pacemakers have one to three wires that are each placed in different chambers of the
heart.

Three wires from the pacemakers are placed in different chambers of the heart.
  Single-chamber pacemaker : pulses are carried from the generator ti the right
ventricles
 Dual-chamber pacemaker : pulses are carried from the generator to the right
atrium and the right ventricle
 Biventricular pacemaker :pulses are carried from the generator to an atrium and
both ventricles

The pulses in the dual-chamber pacemaker can help coordinate the timing of the
contractions of atrium and the right ventricle. And those in the biventricular pacemaker
coordinate electrical signaling between the two ventricles.

 The wires in a single-chamber pacemaker usually carry pulses from the generator to
the right ventricle (the lower right chamber of your heart).
 The wires in a dual-chamber pacemaker carry pulses from the generator to the right
atrium (the upper right chamber of your heart) and the right ventricle. The pulses help
coordinate the timing of these two chambers' contractions.
 The wires in a biventricular pacemaker carry pulses from the generator to an atrium
and both ventricles. The pulses help coordinate electrical signaling between the two
ventricles. This type of pacemaker also is called a cardiac resynchronization therapy
(CRT) device.

Doctors recommend pacemakers for many reasons. The most common reasons are
bradycardia and heart block.

Bradycardia is a heartbeat that is slower than normal. Heart block is a disorder that
occurs if an electrical signal is slowed or disrupted as it moves through the heart.

Heart block can happen as a result of aging, damage to the heart from a heart attack,
or other conditions that disrupt the heart's electrical activity. Some nerve and muscle
disorders also can cause heart block, including muscular dystrophy.

Your doctor also may recommend a pacemaker if:

 Aging or heart disease damages your sinus node's ability to set the correct pace for
your heartbeat. Such damage can cause slower than normal heartbeats or long pauses
between heartbeats. The damage also can cause your heart to switch between slow and
fast rhythms. This condition is called sick sinus syndrome.
 You've had a medical procedure to treat an arrhythmia called atrial fibrillation. A
pacemaker can help regulate your heartbeat after the procedure.
 You need to take certain heart medicines, such as beta blockers. These medicines can
slow your heartbeat too much.
 You faint or have other symptoms of a slow heartbeat. For example, this may happen if
the main artery in your neck that supplies your brain with blood is sensitive to
pressure. Just quickly turning your neck can cause your heart to beat slower than
normal. As a result, your brain might not get enough blood flow, causing you to feel
faint or collapse.
 You have heart muscle problems that cause electrical signals to travel too slowly
through your heart muscle. Your pacemaker may provide cardiac resynchronization
therapy (CRT) for this problem. CRT devices coordinate electrical signaling between the
heart's lower chambers.
 You have long QT syndrome, which puts you at risk for dangerous arrhythmias.

Doctors also may recommend pacemakers for people who have certain types
of congenital heart disease or for people who have had heart transplants. Children,
teens, and adults can use pacemakers.

Before recommending a pacemaker, your doctor will consider any arrhythmia

symptoms you have, such as dizziness, unexplained fainting, or shortness of breath. He
or she also will consider whether you have a history of heart disease, what medicines
you're currently taking, and the results of heart tests.

Diagnostic Tests
Many tests are used to detect arrhythmias. You may have one or more of the following
tests.

EKG (ELECTROCARDIOGRAM)

An EKG is a simple, painless test that detects and records the heart's electrical activity.
The test shows how fast your heart is beating and its rhythm (steady or irregular).

An EKG also records the strength and timing of electrical signals as they pass through
your heart. The test can help diagnose bradycardia and heart block (the most common
reasons for needing a pacemaker).

A standard EKG only records the heartbeat for a few seconds. It won't detect
arrhythmias that don't happen during the test.

To diagnose heart rhythm problems that come and go, your doctor may have you wear
a portable EKG monitor. The two most common types of portable EKGs are Holter and
event monitors.

HOLTER AND EVENT MONITORS

A Holter monitor records the heart's electrical activity for a full 24- or 48-hour period.
You wear one while you do your normal daily activities. This allows the monitor to
record your heart for a longer time than a standard EKG.

An event monitor is similar to a Holter monitor. You wear an event monitor while doing
your normal activities. However, an event monitor only records your heart's electrical
activity at certain times while you're wearing it.

For many event monitors, you push a button to start the monitor when you feel
symptoms. Other event monitors start automatically when they sense abnormal heart
rhythms.

You can wear an event monitor for weeks or until symptoms occur.

ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY

Echocardiography (echo) uses sound waves to create a moving picture of your heart.
The test shows the size and shape of your heart and how well your heart chambers and
valves are working.

Echo also can show areas of poor blood flow to the heart, areas of heart muscle that
aren't contracting normally, and injury to the heart muscle caused by poor blood flow.

ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY STUDY

For this test, a thin, flexible wire is passed through a vein in your groin (upper thigh) or
arm to your heart. The wire records the heart's electrical signals.

Your doctor uses the wire to electrically stimulate your heart. This allows him or her to
see how your heart's electrical system responds. This test helps pinpoint where the
heart's electrical system is damaged.

STRESS TEST

Some heart problems are easier to diagnose when your heart is working hard and
beating fast.

During stress testing, you exercise to make your heart work hard and beat fast while
heart tests, such as an EKG or echo, are done. If you can't exercise, you may be given
medicine to raise your heart rate.