Why need a pacemaker

Pacemakers — tiny implantable computers that speed up a slow heart rhythm — are the answer for millions of people, from newborns to year-olds. Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. A slow heart rhythm deprives your organs of oxygen and nutrients. You can get lightheaded or dizzy when you stand up or exert yourself. You become short of breath and easily fatigued.

You can pass out. It quickly adjusts your heart rate, which indirectly adjusts blood pressure as your metabolic needs change for example, during rest or exercise. Heart block can also slow the heart. 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.

Possible complications from a pacemaker The procedure to place a pacemaker is generally safe. Complications may include: Allergic reaction to the device or medicines used during the procedure Blood clots that block blood flow.

Your doctor may give you blood thinners to reduce this risk. Device problems. The device may stimulate muscles other than the heart. Sometimes wires break, stop working, or get knocked out of place. Displaced wires can block a blood vessel or heart valve or poke through the heart muscle.

Wireless pacemakers can also move out of place. Heart problems. Some people may develop arrhythmia, heart attack, or other heart problems after surgery or the device placement. Infection around the pacemaker wires or device. The infection may spread, causing problems in other parts of the body. Call your doctor right away if you develop a fever in the days and weeks after the procedure.

Pacemaker syndrome, which is when the pacemaker stimulates only one ventricle. Symptoms include fatigue extreme tiredness , difficulty breathing, and low blood pressure. Tissue scarring. Over time, tissue around the device can scar and stiffen, or tissue can grow around the wires or device. This can make it harder for your heart to work.

Trapped fluid or air around the lungs, known as pleural disorder or possible pneumothorax , or fluid that collects around the heart, called pericarditis. Living With a Pacemaker - Pacemakers. Get your pacemaker checked You may need to visit your doctor several times a year to check your pacemaker. Avoid devices that interfere with pacemakers If you have a pacemaker, avoid close or prolonged contact with electrical devices or devices that have strong magnetic fields.

Cell phones. Use your speaker phone setting or hold the cell phone to the ear on the opposite side of your body. For example, if you have an ICD on the left side of your chest, hold your cell phone to your right ear.

Avoid putting your cell phone in your shirt pocket. Electronic cigarettes Headphones. Most headphones have a magnet in them. Wear them as far away from your ICD as possible.

Do not carry your headphones in a chest pocket. Household appliances, such as microwave ovens, major appliances, electric blankets, and heating pads are usually safe if they are working properly. Metal detectors, such as those used for airport security. The risk of harm is low, but your device may set off the metal detector.

Body scanners used at airports appear to be safe for people with pacemakers, but you can show your ID card and ask for a separate screening. Medical and dental procedures that can affect your pacemaker include: Electrocautery used during surgery to stop blood vessels from bleeding Magnetic resonance imaging MRI Microwave diathermy for physical therapy Radiation therapy to treat cancer Shock-wave lithotripsy to treat kidney stones Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation TENS to treat pain The effects depend on what type of device you have.

Learn how to manage problems with your pacemaker It is important to pay attention to any changes or unusual patterns in your pacemaker. Know what to do if the device stops working. Pacemakers usually last for several years, but a part or the entire device may need to be replaced. Call your doctor immediately if you think your pacemaker may not be working properly. Know your options and rights.

You have the right to request the pacemaker be turned off or removed if it is no longer beneficial. For example, you may wish to turn it off if you are seriously ill or nearing the end of life. Discuss your options and plans with your healthcare team, caregivers, and loved ones.

Your doctor may have you take part in an ethics consultation first to make sure you understand the risks. Software updates. Talk to your doctor about how to regularly check for software updates that make the pacemaker more secure from hacking.

When you visit the doctor, ask whether the manufacturer has announced any problems with your device. Watch for signs of infection. Signs include fever, chills, and pain or redness where the pacemaker was placed.

You may get these symptoms 6 months or more after surgery. Metabolic Mapping and Cardiac Resynchronization This study will test whether a type of pacemaker called a cardiac resynchronization device can help the heart pump more blood in people who have mild heart failure HF and left bundle branch block.

In the study, participants will have a cardiac resynchronization device implanted. To participate in this study, you must be at least 18 years old and have mild heart failure and a left bundle branch block.

View more information about Metabolic Mapping and Cardiac Resynchronization. This study will investigate health outcomes among people with a heart conduction disorder that is sometimes treated with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator.

To participate in this study, you must be between 18 and 60 years old and have complete left bundle branch block. The study takes place in Beijing, China. More Information. Related Health Topics Arrhythmia. Atrial Fibrillation. Cardiac Catheterization. Conduction Disorders. The top-rated specialists at Premier Cardiology Consultants , with four locations convenient to residents of New York City and its surrounding communities, have earned a stellar reputation for providing cutting-edge cardiac care in a warm and welcoming, patient-first environment.

Read what these widely respected experts have to say about pacemakers and the symptoms that indicate you might need one. Your heart relies on electrical signals neurotransmitters from your brain as well as structures within the heart itself to maintain the pumping action required to circulate blood throughout your body. Normally, your heart beats about , times a day at a steady rate and rhythm of beats per minute.

Small wires electrodes connect the pacemaker to your heart. A pacemaker can be programmed to act during episodes of bradycardia an excessively slow beat , atrial fibrillation a fast, fluttery heart rhythm , or cardiac arrest cessation of the beat altogether. At Premier Cardiology Consultants, our specialists excel at correctly identifying conditions that may benefit from pacemaker placement.