Why is pacemaker needed

If you have a permanent pacemaker, you may have to stay in the hospital overnight so your healthcare team can check your heartbeat and make sure your device is working well. Your healthcare team may help you get up and walk around. The day after the procedure, you may get an X-ray to check that the pacemaker and wires stay in place. Your team may also suggest an electrocardiogram to look at your heart rhythm.

They will check to make sure the device is programmed correctly for you before you leave. They may also make sure the device can send data remotely. Your doctor will give you instructions to follow as you heal at home, such as:. The procedure to place a pacemaker is generally safe. However, complications can happen from the procedure or the pacemaker itself. Talk with your doctor about the benefits and risks of a pacemaker. Complications may include:. A pacemaker can improve daily life for many people.

Once you have a pacemaker, you will need regular doctor visits to check your health condition and the pacemaker. Carry your pacemaker ID card with you for emergencies. Show it to airport security, new doctors, or other people who need to know about your device.

You may need to visit your doctor several times a year to check your pacemaker. In between visits, your doctor may be able to check that the battery and wires are still working. You may also need to come in if your doctor needs to reprogram the pacemaker. You can check with your doctor regularly about device software updates and upgrades. If you have a pacemaker, avoid close or prolonged contact with electrical devices or devices that have strong magnetic fields.

These devices can disrupt the electrical signaling of your pacemaker and stop it from working properly. You may not be able to tell when this happens. To be safe, keep your pacemaker at least 6 inches away from such devices or only use them briefly, when needed. If something disrupts your pacemaker, step away from whatever is disturbing it to help your pacemaker return to normal. Talk to your doctor right away about what else to avoid, as any kind of powerful electrical or industrial equipment can interfere with your pacemaker.

This includes welding machines or electric fences for pets. Medical and dental procedures that can affect your pacemaker include:. The effects depend on what type of device you have. Always tell your doctor or dentist that you have a pacemaker and show them the device ID card. They may be able to make certain changes if you need the procedure or test.

It is important to pay attention to any changes or unusual patterns in your pacemaker. Call your doctor if you think there is a problem.

Learn more about participating in a clinical trial. View all trials from ClinicalTrials. Visit Children and Clinical Studies to hear experts, parents, and children talk about their experiences with clinical research. How Pacemakers Work - Pacemakers. Traditional transvenous pacemakers Traditional pacemakers also called transvenous pacemakers have three main parts. A pulse generator creates the electrical pulses. Wires also called leads are implanted inside the veins and carry the pulses to your heart.

Electrodes sense your natural heartbeat. When your heartbeat is slower than normal, the electrodes deliver electrical impulses to your heart to make it beat normally. The image shows a cross-section of a chest and heart with a traditional pacemaker, which has wires leads. Figure A shows a double-lead pacemaker also called a double-chamber pacemaker in the upper chest.

Figure B shows an electrode using electrical signals to activate the heart muscle. Figure C shows a single lead pacemaker also called a single-chamber pacemaker in the upper chest. Wireless pacemakers not pictured are placed inside the right ventricle.

Wireless pacemakers Wireless, or leadless, pacemakers are smaller than traditional types about the size of a large pill capsule. Other types In another type of pacemaker, the electrodes are placed on the surface of your heart rather than inside your heart. Who Needs a Pacemaker? Before Getting a Pacemaker - Pacemakers. You can bring along these and other questions you may have: What are the benefits and risks of a pacemaker? What other treatment options do I have?

How will a pacemaker affect my life? What kind of pacemaker is best for me? What happens during the procedure? How long will the pacemaker last? When should I stop eating or drinking before the procedure?

Should I continue taking my regular medicines? When should I arrive at the hospital and where should I go? How long should I expect to stay at the hospital? How long will my recovery be?

Will I be sore or not able to move? What medicines should I take after the procedure? How Is a Pacemaker Placed? Wired transvenous pacemakers Many traditional, and all temporary, pacemakers are transvenous pacemakers, meaning the wires and electrodes are threaded through your veins. Epicardial pacemakers With epicardial pacemakers, the electrodes are attached to the surface of the heart rather than inside its chambers. They may also be used: When a vein is blocked by a blood clot or plaque When it would be difficult to insert the wires inside your heart chamber because of the structure of your heart or veins When they are needed by newborns or children, who are the most common users If you have a heart infection Wireless pacemakers Wireless pacemakers are a newer type of pacemaker.

After Getting a Pacemaker - Pacemakers. Recovery at the hospital If you have a permanent pacemaker, you may have to stay in the hospital overnight so your healthcare team can check your heartbeat and make sure your device is working well.

Recovery at home Your doctor will give you instructions to follow as you heal at home, such as: What medicines to take When to return to normal activities. Your doctor will probably ask you to avoid driving or heavy lifting for at least a week.

Most people return to other daily activities within a few days of having surgery. How to prevent wires from moving. Your doctor may ask you to use caution or avoid heavy lifting, intense physical activity, or lifting your arms above your head.

These activities could shift the device or a wire out of place. When to make a follow-up appointment. Typically, the first appointment is one month after implant, with follow-up visits every 6 to 12 months. Some devices are equipped with remote monitoring capabilities where you can send information about your pacemaker from home that the clinic can view. We recommend that you have this capability for your routine device surveillance. We will discuss with you at your clinic visit.

You should lie down immediately, make sure you are in a safe environment, away from any machines or moving vehicles, and call a friend or family member, or call , if you feel any of the following symptoms:. Stanford Arrhythmia Service: - for questions or problems available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In the past, people with pacemakers risked interference with the proper functioning of their pacemakers if they were too close to car distributors, radar, microwaves, electric blankets, and airport security detectors.

However, with improvements in pacemaker technology, these issues are no longer of major concern. The following precautions should always be considered. Discuss the following in detail with the doctor:. Always consult your doctor if you have any questions concerning the use of certain equipment near your pacemaker.

Once the pacemaker has been implanted, people with pacemakers should be able to do the same activities everyone else in their age group is doing. When involved in a physical, recreational, or sporting activity, a person with a pacemaker should avoid receiving a blow to the skin over the pacemaker.

A blow to the chest near the pacemaker can affect its functioning. See your doctor if a blow to chest is received near the pacemaker. Always consult with the doctor when feeling ill after an activity, or if there are questions about beginning a new activity. Although the pacemaker is built to last several years, always check the device regularly to ensure that it is working properly.

The pulse rate is a measurement of the heart rate, or the number of times the heart beats per minute. As the heart pushes blood through the arteries, the arteries expand and contract with the flow of the blood. The normal pulse rate for healthy adults ranges from 60 to beats per minute. The pulse rate may fluctuate and increase with exercise, illness, injury, and emotions. Girls ages 12 and older and women, in general, tend to have faster heart rates than do boys and men.

Athletes, such as runners, who do a lot of cardiovascular conditioning may have heart rates in the 40s and experience no problems. As the heart forces blood through the arteries, you feel the beats by firmly pressing on the arteries, which are located close to the surface of the skin at certain points of the body.

The pulse can be found on the side of the lower neck, on the inside of the elbow, or at the wrist. If the doctor has ordered you to check your own pulse and you are having difficulty finding it, consult your doctor for additional instruction. Possibly, depending on the type of mobile phone being used. Today's pacemakers are engineered to withstand interference from analog cellular phones. However, in some cases, digital mobile phones may interfere with pacemakers.

According to the American Heart Association, a group of mobile phone companies is studying the newer mobile phones with new frequency and their effect on pacemakers. We recommend mobile phones should not be used directly above the pacemaker. Patients are instructed to hold their mobile phone six inches away from the pacemaker and to hold the phone to the ear opposite of the pacemaker.

Patients are instructed not to keep them in the "on" position in a pocket on top of the pacemaker. Most electrical and mechanical devices won't interfere with the pacemaker. In general, patients may use any appliance or go anywhere except into areas where strong electrical interference may exist. Patients should always tell any doctor or dentist that they have a pacemaker. Microwave ovens, computers, DVD players, small electric tools, and garage door openers are all safe to use.

Patients are instructed to avoid large magnetic fields such as: leaning over a car engine while it is running, running motorcycle engines, chainsaws, power plants, etc. When traveling in the airport, patients are instructed to tell Security that they have a pacemaker and Security will hand search the patient instead of having the patient walk through the metal detector.

The metal detector will not harm the pacemaker, but the patient may set off the alarm. Patients are instructed that they cannot have an MRI done because of the possible magnetic interference. Some pacemakers may need to be adjusted if a patient's medical condition or lifestyle changes. The doctor will instruct patients about the schedule of follow-up visits to keep based on condition and type of device.

In addition, patients may participate in telephonic assessment of your device on a periodic basis. Leads are the actual wires that carry the electrical charges to areas of the heart.

If the original leads are functioning properly, in most cases, they can be left in place and reattached to the new pacemaker.

Replacing a pacemaker may be done on an outpatient basis or may include an overnight stay in the hospital. Patients should always carry an ID card that states they are wearing a pacemaker. In addition, patients should wear a medical identification bracelet that states they have a pacemaker.

Patients will receive a pacemaker identification ID card while in the hospital, or in the mail after returning home. Carry this ID at all times. Patients will be given a temporary card upon discharge and a permanent card will be mailed to the patient from the pacemaker manufacturer in six to eight weeks. Patients are given the option of wearing a Medic Alert Emblem, and may request a form to order one.

Patients are instructed to notify us if they have a new address or telephone number so that the company that manufactured the patient's pacemaker may contact the patient if needed. Yes, patients can travel with your pacemaker and drive a car. Patients should be sure to always have the pacemaker identification card with them wherever they go.

At first, you may feel the weight of the pacemaker in your chest. However, over time, most people become accustomed to the pacemaker. The generator is very small, about the size of two silver dollars stacked on top of each other, and weighs about an ounce or less, depending on the make and model of the device.

Our highly skilled electrophysiologists provide expert care for people with all types of arrhythmias. We are at the forefront of research, studying the most advanced devices and techniques for managing heart rate and rhythm.

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View the changes to our visitor policy » View information for Guest Services ». New to MyHealth? Manage Your Care From Anywhere. Activate Account. Create a New Account. Forgot Username or Password? Conditions Treated Our Approach for Pacemakers If your heart rate is too slow, you may need a pacemaker. Pacemakers are usually inserted beneath the skin of your upper chest near the shoulder.

Wires, called leads, run from the device into the heart using veins as the natural pathway. Pacemakers are quite reliable. Pacemakers are monitored remotely while the patient is home, usually during sleep. The newest pacemakers are leadless and work wirelessly. And the technology will continue to progress and evolve. Pacemakers — tiny implantable computers that speed up a slow heart rhythm — help millions of people, from newborns to year-olds.

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