There are several health problems in general and the cardiovascular system in particular that affect heart rate. The most common issues are bradycardia and tachycardia, meaning too low or too high a heart rate per minute. However, their treatment can be complicated if the patient reacts negatively to the prescribed drugs in one way or another. In this case, devices specially designed for managing such conditions are used. The purpose of this essay is to analyze pacemakers as a device used for heart problems, the reasons for their installation, and how they work.
Pacemakers are medical devices designed solely to regulate a person’s heart rate by acting on the heart with electrical impulses. Although there are external options, more often, pacemakers are implantable devices introduced directly next to the heart. Depending on the problems with the cardiac system, various modifications of the device are used, designed for one or two chambers, as well as stimulating the lower chambers of the heart (“Pacemaker,” 2019). However, the device structure in all cases remains approximately the same. The pacemaker consists of electrodes that transmit electrical impulses and a pulse generator with a battery that generates these impulses.
The temporary or permanent introduction of a pacemaker is associated with a surgical operation: under local anesthesia in the first case or under complete anesthesia in the second. In any case, whether through a vein or in the process of opening the chest, this operation is severe enough, and it is resorted to in case of severe conditions (“Implantable pacemaker,” n.d.). First of all, the use of pacemakers, due to their specificity and purpose, is carried out in case of cardiac arrhythmias. In addition, devices can be used to aid in the treatment of heart failure (“Pacemaker,” 2019). Hence, heart rhythm problems are the leading group of reasons for installing these devices.
Specific signs and symptoms may vary from patient to patient. A too low heart rate may cause a pacemaker to be inserted. On the other hand, the heart rate can be extremely irregular, so a pacemaker can also be used to stabilize the patient. Thus, it is difficult to isolate any symptom and symptoms for device installation other than heart rhythm problems. The decision to carry out such an operation, in any case, is made by the doctor based on the patient’s diagnosis and medical history.
Pacemaker insertion only affects patients with heart problems. However, the decision to install itself may have different motives. The reason for the installation may be temporary help in correcting the heart rate, for example, after a heart attack or medication overdose (“Pacemaker,” 2019). On the other hand, a pacemaker can be set to adjust the heart rate to increase life expectancy constantly. Finally, the device can be used in cases where medication is impossible due, for example, to severe allergic reactions.
As a rule, patients themselves do not need to care for or maintain a pacemaker in any way. However, one must strictly follow the doctor’s instructions and regularly report on your condition and changes in it, as well as any possible deviations. In addition, it is imperative to avoid close contact with any device that emits a strong electromagnetic field, such as cell phones, generators, and medical equipment (“Pacemaker,” 2019). However, despite the possible difficulties, for many patients, installing a pacemaker can improve their quality of life (Chamandi et al., 2018). Therefore, it is necessary to follow the precautions indicated by the doctor, even if this causes some difficulties in everyday life.
Thus, pacemakers are a standard device that makes life easier for many people with heart problems. Although the purpose of the installation is, in fact, the same – correction of the heart rhythm – a whole set of various heart diseases and conditions, from an overdose to the rehabilitation after surgery, can lead to this decision. However, despite specific difficulties and limitations in operation, pacemakers can significantly improve the quality of life and prolong a person’s life.
References
Chamandi, C., Barbanti, M., Munoz-Garcia, A., Latib, A., Nombela-Franco, L., Gutiérrez-Ibanez, E., Veiga-Fernandez, G., Cheema, A.N., Cruz-Gonzalez, I., Serra, V., & Tamburino, C. (2018). Long-term outcomes in patients with new permanent pacemaker implantation following transcatheter aortic valve replacement. JACC: Cardiovascular Interventions, 11(3), 301-310.
Implantable pacemaker. (n.d.). Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada.
Pacemaker. (2019). Mayo Clinic.