dimanche 3 juillet 2016

How A Pacemaker Can Help Make Your Heart Beat Faster

By Rebecca Murphy


Not all that many years ago even minor heart problems could have been a death sentence. Enormous strides have been made in the treatment of heart disease, however. Today, complicated open heart surgery is common and considered to be safe. Many heart problems can be managed or treated by means of medication or minor procedures. For example, by opting for a pacemaker Princeton NJ patients can resume normal activities within days.

The heart is a pump and one of the most common causes of heart problems is when the heart does not beat as it should. It beats either too slowly or too fast. The four chambers of the heart also need to work in a coordinated manner. If this is not the case, the heart cannot supply sufficient blood to the rest of the body.

A pace making device is a relatively simple piece of machinery that helps the heart to beat at the optimum pace. In essence, it consist of a generator that sends electrical impulses to electrodes that are attached to the various chambers of the heart. The electrical impulses controls the rate at which the heart beats. Millions of people have received pace making devices in the past few decades.

These devices may be simply, but that does not mean that they are not sophisticated. They not only regulate the heartbeat, but they constantly monitor the breathing and activity of the body. During exercise, for example, or a change in the breathing pattern of the patient, the heart rate will be increased or decreased according to the blood and oxygen needs of the body.

Inserting a pace making device does not require major surgery. The generator is placed just below the collar bone of the shoulder on the left and the electrodes are guided to the heart chambers through a major vein. It is done under a local anaesthetic and the patient can go home almost immediately after the procedure. At least one follow up visit is necessary to make sure that the device is performing well.

The presence of a pace making device does not require the recipient to make major lifestyle changes. It is necessary to avoid intense magnetic fields. Full contact sports should also be avoided and many patients find it uncomfortable to wear safety belts when driving. When receiving any form of medical attention, patients should always inform the attending physician that they have a pace maker.

Complications from having this type of surgery is rare, but infection is always a risk after any type of invasive surgery. Some patients have an allergic reaction to the dye used during the procedure. Others experience swelling and discomfort in the area where the generator is implanted, although this normally clears up within a week or two. In very rare cases the lungs of the patient collapse.

There can be no doubt that pace making devices have saved the lives of millions of people or at least allowed them to continue with normal life styles. One can only wonder what new solutions will be offered in the future. Sadly, heart disease remains one of the most common cause of premature death.




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