What is a Pacemaker?
A pacemaker (or artificial pacemaker) is a medical device that uses electrical impulses, delivered by electrodes contacting the heart muscles, to regulate the beating of the heart. The primary purpose of a pacemaker is to maintain an adequate heart rate, either because the heart’s native pacemaker is not fast enough, or there is a block in the heart’s electrical conduction system. Modern pacemakers are externally programmable and allow the cardiologist to select the optimum pacing modes for individual patients. Some combine a pacemaker and defibrillator in a single implantable device. Others have multiple electrodes stimulating differing positions within the heart to improve synchronisation of the ventricles(ventricles) of the heart.
How Does A Pacemaker Work?
Modern pacemakers usually have multiple functions. The most basic form monitors the heart’s native electrical rhythm. When the pacemaker does not detect a heartbeat within a normal beat-to-beat time period, it will stimulate the ventricle of the heart with a short low voltage pulse. This sensing and stimulating activity continues on a beat by beat basis. The more complex forms include the ability to sense and/or stimulate both the atrial and ventricular chambers.
An artificial pacemaker system has two parts: a generator and wires (leads). The generator is a tiny battery powered unit, producing electrical currents to stimulate the heart muscle to beat and to pump blood through the body. Small electrical wires are connected to the generator and they are inserted into the heart via a large vein. Electrical currents are fired from the generator to the heart, just in similar intervals as the heart would beat. The electrical impulse triggers the heart tissue to begin a heartbeat and to contract. Most pacemakers only set in and work if they are needed, meaning that they don’t fire if the heart is beating regularly. If the heart is lowering its native heart rate the Pacemaker will pick that up and and starts firing electrical currents to the heart that triggers extra beats. It also means that if a Pacemaker senses a natural heart beat it stops firing electrical currents and lets the heart beat in its own rhythm and only ‘kicks’ in when the heart rate is lowered.
Please refer to the procedure
- Temporary Cardiac Pacing in the Your loved ones treatment in Intensive Care section for a more detailed explanation.
Pacing generator or ‘Pacing Box’
Are There Any Complications?
All Intensive Care interventions and procedures carry a degree of potential risk even when performed by skilled and experienced staff. Please discuss these issues with the medical and nursing staff who are caring for your loved one.
Any Questions?
Of course, if you have any questions or concerns, please discuss them with the ICU nurses and doctors.
All Intensive Care interventions and procedures carry a degree of potential risk even when performed by skilled and experienced staff.
The information contained on this page is general in nature and therefore cannot reflect individual Patient variation. It is meant as a back up to specific information which will be discussed with you by the Doctors and Nurses caring for your loved one. INTENSIVE CARE HOTLINE attests to the accuracy of the information contained here BUT takes no responsibility for how it may apply to an individual Patient. Please refer to the full disclaimer.
Related Articles:
- How long does a cardiac arrest patient stay in Intensive Care?
- Six weeks in Intensive Care after Cardiac Surgery and my mother isn’t getting any better
- How long can a breathing tube or an endotracheal tube can stay in?
- How long should a Patient be on a ventilator before having a Tracheostomy?
- How long is a Patient kept on a BIPAP machine in Intensive Care?
- What is an induced coma and why is my critically ill loved one in an induced coma?
- The 3 most dangerous mistakes that you are making but you are unaware of, if your loved one is a critically ill Patient in Intensive Care
- How to always achieve your goals whilst your loved one is critically ill in Intensive Care
- Why you must make up your own mind about your critically ill loved one’s situation in Intensive Care even if you’re not a doctor or a nurse!
- Follow this proven 5 step process on how to be in control and influential if your loved one is a long-term Patient in Intensive Care
- How to quickly take control and have real power and influence if your loved one is critically ill in Intensive Care
- Why does my loved one need a Tracheostomy in Intensive Care?
- Tracheostomy and weaning off the ventilator in Intensive Care, how long can it take?
- My sister has been in ICU for 21 weeks with Tracheostomy and still ventilated. What do we need to do?
- Severe lung failure and my aunty is not expected to survive…
- 3 quick steps on how to position and prepare yourself well mentally, whilst your loved one is critically ill in Intensive Care
- How to get what you want whilst your loved one is critically ill in Intensive Care
- 5 steps to become a better negotiator if your loved one is critically ill in Intensive Care
- How to make sure that your values and beliefs are known whilst your loved one is critically ill in Intensive Care
- How to make sure that “what you see is always what you get” whilst your loved one is critically ill in Intensive Care
- What the doctors and the nurses behaviour in Intensive Care is telling you about the culture in a unit
- How long does it take to wake up from a Traumatic brain injury or severe head injury
- How to take control if your loved one has a severe brain injury and is critically ill in Intensive Care
- Family Meetings in Intensive Care or the Elephant in the Room
- What you need to do if your loved one is dying in Intensive Care(part one)
- What you need to do if your loved one is dying in Intensive Care(part two)
- Intensive Care at its best?
- How INTENSIVECAREHOTLINE.COM Can Help You
- What you and your Family need to do if your critically ill loved one is very sick in Intensive Care and faces an uncertain future
- How long can somebody stay in Intensive Care?
- My Family can’t agree on what’s best for my sister in Intensive Care…Help!
- My husband is dying in Intensive Care, but we need more time…
- My mother sustained serious brain damage after a stroke and she now is in multi- organ failure