The Importance of Pacemakers

Have you ever wondered how a pacemaker works? An artificial pacemaker is an electronic mechanism which is attached to the heart by small electrodes. The pacemaker is usually implanted during surgery, however temporary external pacemakers are available. The pacemaker sends an electrical current to the heart, which stimulates the heart to “beat.” This is useful for people whose heart beats at an abnormal rate.

The purpose of a pacemaker is to make sure that the heart is beating at a proper, healthy rate. These devices are used if the heart’s natural ability to regulate its beats is not working correctly. They may also be used if the electrical conduction of the heart is blocked in some way.

These days, an electronic heart pacemaker can be programmed externally by a trained cardiologist who will be able to configure it to fit more precisely the needs of the individual. Pacemakers may also be combined with a defibrillator all in one unit if necessary.

Pacemaker experiments have been going on for over a hundred years, however the real breakthrough was in 1958. It was in 1958 that the first implantable pacemaker was used, although it was a far cry from the pacemakers of today. The patient who used the first generation implantable pacemaker used 22 of them throughout his lifetime.

Surgery is required to implant the pacemaker, although it is generally a straightforward procedure. In most cases, a local anesthetic is given and an incision is made below the left collar bone, where the pacemaker is inserted and the electrode wires are attached to the heart using a fluoroscope. Afterward, the doctor usually prescribes antibiotics as a precaution against infection as a result of the surgery.

A person who lives with an artificial heart pacemaker is usually required to visit the doctor once in a while so that the doctor can see that everything is working correctly and that the patient is remaining healthy.

Tagged with: Health

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