Pacemakers are small and compact devices that are designed to maintain or restore your heart’s rhythm. But have you ever wondered what conditions require a pacemaker and how does a pacemaker work? Let’s look deeper into the topic of pacemakers.
What is a pacemaker?
A pacemaker is a small device used to help manage certain heart rhythm problems. If your heart beats too quickly, too slowly, or unevenly, a pacemaker helps regulate it by sending mild electrical impulses to maintain a steady rhythm. It can also help the heart’s chambers beat in sync, which improves how well your heart pumps blood, especially helpful for people with heart failure.
Pacemakers come in two types: temporary and permanent. A temporary pacemaker is recommended for short-term medical needs and is inserted through a vein in the neck. It stays outside the body and helps support the heart until a long-term solution is needed. A permanent pacemaker is implanted in the chest or abdomen through surgery to help manage heart rhythm over the long term. Reaching out to the pacemaker cardiologist in Coimbatore will ensure you are in safe hands while giving you the best outcomes.
How do pacemakers work?
Pacemakers help keep your heartbeat steady by sending small electrical signals to your heart. Traditional pacemakers use thin wires, called leads, to carry these signals. New wireless pacemakers work without any wires, making the process less invasive.
Traditional Pacemakers:
Traditional cin heart, also known as transvenous pacemakers, are made up of three parts.
- The pulse generator creates small electrical signals that help control the heartbeat.
- Thin wires, known as leads, are inserted into your veins to transmit electrical impulses directly to your heart.
- Electrodes monitor your heartbeat. If it’s too slow, they send small electrical signals to help your heart beat at a normal pace.
Wireless pacemakers:
Wireless pacemakers, also known as leadless pacemakers, are much smaller than the traditional type, roughly the size of a large capsule. The whole device, combining both the pulse generator and sensors, is contained in a single unit that is inserted into a heart chamber through a slender tube passed via a vein. No surgery is required. Once placed, it sends signals to help your heart beat properly, usually in the lower right chamber.
Your doctor might suggest a wireless pacemaker if your heartbeat is too slow or if there’s a delay in how electrical signals travel between the upper and lower chambers of your heart. Some types of pacemakers can even detect activity in the upper chamber and adjust the signals to help both chambers beat together in sync.
What are the conditions that might require a pacemaker?
Usually pacemakers are used to treat irregular heartbeats and there are a few conditions that might need pacemaker that include:
Bradycardia:
Bradycardia is a condition when your heart beats slower than normal, usually under 60 beats per minute, and often even below 40. This slow heartbeat may not pump enough oxygen-rich blood to your body, which can cause tiredness, dizziness, shortness of breath, or even fainting in serious cases.
Heart block:
Heart block occurs when the electrical impulses that control your heartbeat don’t pass correctly between the upper and lower parts of the heart, leading to a slow or irregular rhythm.
A heart block can be both severe and mild. In serious cases, a pacemaker may be needed to help the signals reach the lower chambers, keeping your heartbeat steady and regular.
Sick sinus syndrome:
Sick sinus syndrome is a condition where the heart’s natural pacemaker (called the SA node) doesn’t work properly. This can cause the heart to beat too slowly, too quickly, or even pause at times. People with this condition may feel tired, dizzy, short of breath, or might faint. A heart pacemaker is commonly used to manage the condition by maintaining a regular and healthy heartbeat.
Atrial Fibrillation:
Atrial Fibrillation (AFib) is a highly common heart rhythm disorder in which the upper heart chambers beat rapidly and irregularly. A pacemaker isn’t usually the first treatment, but it can help in certain cases.
For instance, following a procedure to correct AFib, some individuals may experience a slowed heart rate and require a pacemaker to maintain a consistent rhythm. Also, if medications used to manage AFib slow the heart down too much, a pacemaker can help keep it from beating too slowly.
Heart failure:
In some people with heart failure, the heart’s chambers don’t beat in sync, making it harder to pump blood properly. In such cases, a special kind of pacemaker called a CRT device, may be helpful.
The device delivers signals to both lower chambers of the heart simultaneously, enhancing the heart’s pumping ability and boosting circulation throughout the body.
Syncope:
Fainting, especially when it happens often, can sometimes be caused by slow or irregular heartbeat. In these situations, a pacemaker supports the heart by maintaining a regular and safe heartbeat.
This can greatly reduce or stop fainting spells, making daily life simpler, especially for older adults, who are more at risk of injuries from falls.
Important Takeaway:
Although in most heart conditions, the first line treatment is not a pacemaker. But it can work wonders for people with irregular heartbeat. Pacemakers help in improving your life quality and also restore your heart’s natural rhythm without any major interventions. If you are looking to get a pacemaker for your irregular heartbeat, consult the best hospital for cardiology in Coimbatore.
