There was a time in the past when heart problems meant that your entire life would change, and you may have severe limitations on your diet and activities. Luckily, with today's stellar medical technology improving all the time, a heart condition does not have to mean impending doom. With a pacemaker, you are able to live a much more normal life.
For a person to truly understand pacemakers, they need to know at least the simplest inner workings of the heart. Basically, it uses electrical pulses to pump blood through all your veins so that all the rest of your body parts function properly. If these signals are interrupted or stop working at their regular pace, it could mean big health troubles.
Pacemakers are usually used to correct an arrhythmia, which is an abnormal heartbeat rate or pace. It could leave to intermittent or even chronic fatigue or fainting, which could take a serious toll on your health. In fact, it could be deadly if left untreated, because it can cause blood flow to slow or stop to the major organs, which results in organ failure.
If your doctor suspects that you are suffering from an arrhythmia, they may run one or more tests to confirm that this is the case before enacting a treatment plan. They often will ask for an EKG to be performed, because it is painless to the patient and registers all of the heart's electrical activity.
The Echo, or echocardiography, is another test the doctor may run. This one uses uses sound waves to take a measurement of the size and shape of the heart, as well as a snapshot of the blood flow and function as well.
A stress test is done on people who are strong enough to exercise. They are fitted with sensors that record their heartbeat while working out, usually on a treadmill. You might also be given a special medicine cocktail to raise the beat and perform the test.
Once it is decided you do need one, you will go through a surgery that takes a few hours of time. During the surgery, a needle is put into a vein near your shoulder. The wires of the device are strung though and placed on the heart itself. Then a small incision is made in your chest and a small metal box is inserted and connected to the wires.
The staff will insist that you stay overnight so they can keep an eye on the incision and your temperature to ensure you do not get a dangerous infection. They will also advise that you stay in bed or take it easy for a month or longer after the surgery so that your body and your heart recover properly.
Once you have the device installed, you should try to avoid prolonged use of electrical devices, or those with a strong magnetic impulse or field. This includes cell phones and microwave ovens, two things most people cannot live without. You can, however, use a cell phone, just use it on the opposite ear from where your device was installed, or use speaker phone.
For a person to truly understand pacemakers, they need to know at least the simplest inner workings of the heart. Basically, it uses electrical pulses to pump blood through all your veins so that all the rest of your body parts function properly. If these signals are interrupted or stop working at their regular pace, it could mean big health troubles.
Pacemakers are usually used to correct an arrhythmia, which is an abnormal heartbeat rate or pace. It could leave to intermittent or even chronic fatigue or fainting, which could take a serious toll on your health. In fact, it could be deadly if left untreated, because it can cause blood flow to slow or stop to the major organs, which results in organ failure.
If your doctor suspects that you are suffering from an arrhythmia, they may run one or more tests to confirm that this is the case before enacting a treatment plan. They often will ask for an EKG to be performed, because it is painless to the patient and registers all of the heart's electrical activity.
The Echo, or echocardiography, is another test the doctor may run. This one uses uses sound waves to take a measurement of the size and shape of the heart, as well as a snapshot of the blood flow and function as well.
A stress test is done on people who are strong enough to exercise. They are fitted with sensors that record their heartbeat while working out, usually on a treadmill. You might also be given a special medicine cocktail to raise the beat and perform the test.
Once it is decided you do need one, you will go through a surgery that takes a few hours of time. During the surgery, a needle is put into a vein near your shoulder. The wires of the device are strung though and placed on the heart itself. Then a small incision is made in your chest and a small metal box is inserted and connected to the wires.
The staff will insist that you stay overnight so they can keep an eye on the incision and your temperature to ensure you do not get a dangerous infection. They will also advise that you stay in bed or take it easy for a month or longer after the surgery so that your body and your heart recover properly.
Once you have the device installed, you should try to avoid prolonged use of electrical devices, or those with a strong magnetic impulse or field. This includes cell phones and microwave ovens, two things most people cannot live without. You can, however, use a cell phone, just use it on the opposite ear from where your device was installed, or use speaker phone.
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