The heart is not a mythical organ. When it does not work well, the entire body suffers and millions of people die every year due to heart complications. One can keep living without a kidney, a spleen, a gall bladder and even part of the liver, but a damaged heart is detrimental. Thank goodness that so many people from Princeton NJ, by receiving a pacemaker, can get a new lease on life.
The heart is really nothing other than a pump the size of an average fist. It pumps blood containing oxygen and nutrients to all parts of the body. When it does not pump as intended to, heart problems van ensue. Sometimes the chambers of the heart do not coordinate very well and sometimes the heart beats too slow or too fast.
A pace making device is not a complicate piece of machinery and implanting it does not require major open heart surgery. It basically consist of a generator and a number of electrodes that are connected to the heart chambers through certain main arteries. The generator sends electric impulses via the electrodes and this corrects the pace at which the heart beats.
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.
The good news is that pace making devices are implanted without much fuss. Only a local anaesthetic is needed and the patient is awake during the procedure. The unit containing the generator is inserted below the collar bone of the left shoulder. The electrodes are then attached to the heart chambers through a major vein. The entire procedure can be completed in half an hour.
Patients that received a pace making device do not have to change their life styles dramatically. They can still exercise but they should avoid full body contact sports. Intense magnetic fields should also be avoided and when they receive medical attention for any other condition, they should make sure that their doctors know that they have a pace making device. Initially, care should be taken to avoid infection or pressure at the implant site.
Complications during or after the procedure is very rare, but care should always be taken to avoid infection. Patients may experience mild discomfort and swelling for a few days at the site where the generator is inserted. Full body contact sport should be avoided and intense magnetic fields, such as generated by MR scans can be harmful. Patients should inform other medical professionals that they have this type of implant.
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.
The heart is really nothing other than a pump the size of an average fist. It pumps blood containing oxygen and nutrients to all parts of the body. When it does not pump as intended to, heart problems van ensue. Sometimes the chambers of the heart do not coordinate very well and sometimes the heart beats too slow or too fast.
A pace making device is not a complicate piece of machinery and implanting it does not require major open heart surgery. It basically consist of a generator and a number of electrodes that are connected to the heart chambers through certain main arteries. The generator sends electric impulses via the electrodes and this corrects the pace at which the heart beats.
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.
The good news is that pace making devices are implanted without much fuss. Only a local anaesthetic is needed and the patient is awake during the procedure. The unit containing the generator is inserted below the collar bone of the left shoulder. The electrodes are then attached to the heart chambers through a major vein. The entire procedure can be completed in half an hour.
Patients that received a pace making device do not have to change their life styles dramatically. They can still exercise but they should avoid full body contact sports. Intense magnetic fields should also be avoided and when they receive medical attention for any other condition, they should make sure that their doctors know that they have a pace making device. Initially, care should be taken to avoid infection or pressure at the implant site.
Complications during or after the procedure is very rare, but care should always be taken to avoid infection. Patients may experience mild discomfort and swelling for a few days at the site where the generator is inserted. Full body contact sport should be avoided and intense magnetic fields, such as generated by MR scans can be harmful. Patients should inform other medical professionals that they have this type of implant.
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.
About the Author:
Our international cardiology clinic provides state-of-the-art pacemaker to heart patients. To learn more about our doctors, visit this website at http://picheart.com.