Pacemaker for heart

A pacemaker is a small device that's placed in the chest to help control abnormal heart rhythms. Pacemaker uses electrical pulses. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Pacemakers are used to treat arrhythmias. Fast heartbeat is called tachycardia. Slow heartbeat is called bradycardia 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.

1) During an arrhythmia, the heart is not be able to pump enough blood to the body. 2) This can cause fatigue, shortness of breath, or fainting. 3) Severe arrhythmias can damage the vital organs and may cause unconsciousness or death. 4) A pacemaker helps a person to resume a more active lifestyle.

The pacemaker has two parts 1. The leads and 2. A pulse generator The pulse generator houses the battery and a tiny computer, and resides just under the skin of the chest. The leads are wires that are threaded through the veins into the heart and implanted into the heart muscle. They send impulses from the pulse generator to the heart muscle, as well as sense the heart's electrical activity. Each impulse causes the heart to contract. The pacemaker may have one to three leads, depending on the type of pacemaker needed to treat your heart problem.

There are different types of pacemakers 1. Single chamber pacemakers use one lead in the upper chambers (atria) or lower chambers (ventricles) of the heart. 2. Dual chamber pacemakers use one lead in the atria and one lead in the ventricles of your heart. 3. Biventricular pacemaker uses three leads: one placed in the right atrium, one placed in the right ventricle, and one placed in the left ventricle.

Heart's Electrical System

1. Heart has its own internal electrical system that controls the rate and rhythm of heartbeat. With each heartbeat, an electrical signal spreads from the top of heart to the bottom. it causes the heart to contract and pump blood. 2. Electrical signals normally begin in a group of cells called the sinus node or sinoatrial (SA) node. 3. First of all, the heart's upper two chambers, the atria contract. This contraction pumps blood into the heart's two lower chambers, the ventricles. The ventricles then contract and pump blood to the rest of the body. 4. This alternate contraction of the atria and ventricles is a heartbeat.

Pacemakers can help

1. 2. 3. 4. Speed up a slow heart rhythm. Help control an abnormal or fast heart rhythm. Control atrial fibrillation. Coordinate electrical signaling between the upper and lower chambers of the heart.

Pacemakers can be 1. Temporary or 2. Permanent. 3. 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. 4. Permanent pacemakers are used to control long-term heart rhythm problems and It is implanted just under the skin of the chest during minor surgery. 5. Arrhythmias are also treated by an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). An ICD is similar to a pacemaker. An ICD besides using low-energy electrical pulses. 6. An ICD also can use high-energy pulses to treat life-threatening arrhythmias.