The heart has its own natural pacemaker that makes the heart perform its natural function of pumping blood at a natural pace. But in some cases, where the heart begins to lose its natural strength, and develops abnormal heartbeats, it is important to restore the natural rhythm of the heart. This is where the role of an artificial pacemaker comes in.
An artificial pacemaker is an electronic device that is inserted beneath the skin of chest or abdominal region of the patient. The function of this device is to use electrical pulses to regulate the heartbeats whenever there is an irregular rhythm of the heart. This condition of abnormal rhythms is known as arrhythmia.
Usually, an arrhythmic heart causes general physical weakness and fatigue in the patient. But with the help of a pacemaker, the patient is able to lead a more active and normal lifestyle.
Benefits of a pacemaker
A pacemaker makes use of low-powered electrical pulses to regulate the heart’s functioning. A pacemaker has the following uses:
It accelerates the pace of a slowing heart.
It helps to curb an arrhythmic heartbeat or a faster heartbeat.
It improves the contraction of ventricles in case of an atrial fibrillation of the heart.
It helps to coordinate the electrical pulsations between the upper and lower chambers of the heart.
It constantly monitors and records the electrical activity of the heart and gauges the rhythm of its heartbeat.
Lifestyle management with a pacemaker
A person who has undergone a pacemaker transplant need not worry too much about any drastic changes in his lifestyle. Except for a few basic precautions and adjustments, there is not much discomfort or handicap attached to it.
It may be advisable to avoid heavy physical contact sports, or activities that involve strong magnetic fields that might interfere with the functioning of the pacemaker. Additional minor adjustments may be required, such as wearing a seat belt with caution so as not to create discomfort in the area where the pacemaker has been inserted.
Wherever, a person with a pacemaker is required to take anti-biotic medication for any ailment, he must inform his physician and other concerned staff about the pacemaker. Another limitation for the patient is that if he may require an MRI scanning for some ailment, it will not be a possibility due to the interference that the magnetic resonance field of this test may have with the pacemaker.
Privacy and security
The Types of Heart Disease:Pacemakers are not designed generally with a strong security coding system. Therefore, it is theoretically possible for anyone to steal the medical records of the patient that may be stored in the pacemaker. Even the device itself can be interfered and re-programmed by remote control. Therefore, it is possible to compromise the privacy of the patient, using a short-range or a long-range remote device. |