Looking for:
When is a pacemaker needed- When is a pacemaker needed
St. Jude halts certain pacemaker implants over data issue | ロイター.
Back to Pacemaker implantation. Pacemakers are sometimes recommended for people with conditions that cause the heart to beat abnormally. Each time the heart beats, the heart muscle contracts pulls inwards in preparation for pumping blood around the body. The contractions are triggered by electrical pulses.
These are generated by a group of specialised cells known as the sinoatrial node SA node. The SA node is often referred to as a natural pacemaker because it generates a series of electrical pulses at regular intervals. The pulse is then sent to a group of cells known as the atrioventricular node AV node. The AV node relays the pulse to the 2 lower chambers of the heart the ventricles.
A pacemaker or implantable cardioverter defibrillator ICD is needed when something disrupts this process and causes an abnormal heartbeat. An abnormal heartbeat is called an arrhythmia. Here are some of the most common causes of arrhythmias:. In sick sinus syndrome, the SA node doesn't work as it should. This can lead to an abnormally slow heartbeat bradycardia , an abnormally fast heartbeat tachycardia , or a combination of both. Over time, the SA node tissue can become hardened and scarred.
This can disrupt the normal pattern of electrical pulses released by the SA node. Some types of medication can also trigger sick sinus syndrome as a side effect. These include calcium channel blockers and beta blockers. Atrial fibrillation is a condition that causes the heart to beat abnormally fast.
This is usually considerably higher than beats a minute often beats a minute or more. Atrial fibrillation can usually be treated with medication, but some people don't respond to treatment, so a pacemaker may be recommended. Sometimes people with atrial fibrillation can have a much slower pulse rate than normal, which can also be intermittent not continuous. In people with heart block , the pulse that needs to be sent from the SA node to the AV node is either delayed or absent.
Heart block can be caused when the heart is damaged acquired heart block , or it can occur if a baby is born with 1 or more defects that affect their heart congenital heart block. If you have heart block and it's causing troublesome symptoms, a pacemaker will usually be recommended. An implantable cardioverter defibrillator ICD , which is a device similar to a pacemaker, is mainly used to prevent cardiac arrest. A cardiac arrest is a potentially fatal condition where the electrical activity that controls the heart becomes so disrupted that the heart stops beating.
An ICD can detect abnormal electrical signals that could indicate that a cardiac arrest is about to happen. If the ICD detects these type of signals, it sends a powerful electrical shock to the heart. This basically "reboots" the heart. After the shock, the heart should start beating normally again. An ICD implantation may be recommended if you have had a cardiac arrest in the past or it's thought you have a significant risk of having one in the future. The type of pacemaker you need will depend on your specific heart problem.
Page last reviewed: 26 July Next review due: 26 July Home Health A to Z Pacemaker implantation Back to Pacemaker implantation. Why it's performed - Pacemaker implantation Contents Overview Why it's performed How it's performed FAQs Risks.
Here are some of the most common causes of arrhythmias: Sick sinus syndrome In sick sinus syndrome, the SA node doesn't work as it should. Symptoms of sick sinus syndrome can include: a slower pulse than normal bradycardia extreme tiredness fatigue fainting or nearly fainting dizziness or lightheadedness shortness of breath chest pain irregular or fluttering heartbeats palpitations Most cases of sick sinus syndrome are thought to be related to age.
Atrial fibrillation Atrial fibrillation is a condition that causes the heart to beat abnormally fast. In these cases, a pacemaker will usually be recommended.
Heart block In people with heart block , the pulse that needs to be sent from the SA node to the AV node is either delayed or absent. Cardiac arrest An implantable cardioverter defibrillator ICD , which is a device similar to a pacemaker, is mainly used to prevent cardiac arrest.
Unless it's treated quickly, a cardiac arrest will be fatal. Factors that increase the risk of a cardiac arrest occurring include: coronary heart disease where the main vessels that supply the heart become narrowed and hardened, reducing the blood supply having a heart attack congenital heart disease where a person is born with one or more defects affecting their heart cardiomyopathy abnormalities of the heart muscle, which leads to poor heart function Types of pacemaker There are several different types of pacemaker.
The main types are: single-chamber pacemaker — this has 1 wire, which is connected to either the right atrium upper heart chamber or right ventricle lower heart chamber dual-chamber pacemaker — this has 2 wires, which are connected to the right atrium and right ventricle biventricular pacemaker — this has 3 wires, which are connected to the right atrium, right ventricle and left ventricle The type of pacemaker you need will depend on your specific heart problem.
No comments:
Post a Comment