Why Would I Need a Pacemaker?

Imagine a tiny device in your chest that keeps your heart beating correctly. That's the job of a pacemaker — a remarkable piece of technology. 

Pacemakers were introduced in the 1960s, but the earliest procedures didn’t provide sustainable results. They’ve come a long way since, with over 700,000 procedures performed worldwide annually.

The rhythm and speed of your heartbeat are more critical to your health than you may realize. Unfortunately, some people are born with or develop an arrhythmia or irregular heartbeat.

Vinay Sanghi, MD, and the cardiac team at Heart and Vascular Associates, LLC, in Sierra Vista, Arizona, have helped countless patients with arrhythmias and other heart conditions. They use the latest technology and research-driven treatments, from angioplasty to pacemakers.

In this month’s blog, the experts at Heart and Vascular Associates explain what you need to know about pacemakers, including why you might need one and what to expect.

Pacemakers 101 

A pacemaker is an electric device implanted in your chest. It sends electrical signals to your heart to ensure your heart's pace is healthy. Pacemakers work as needed, automatically generating these pulses when your heart beats too slowly. 

There are several types of pacemakers, and depending on your condition, the device may be placed in one of your heart’s four chambers or under your clavicle, just above the heart.

Pacemakers typically have two components: the pulse generator and the electrodes or leads.

The pulse generator, a matchbox-sized battery, is the pacemaker's power source. Tiny wires connect the generator to the leads, which deliver electrical impulses to the heart. Pacemakers placed directly in the heart don’t need leads; the generator is embedded in the heart muscle.

Dr. Sanghi programs contemporary pacemakers to match and regulate your heart’s rhythm. Your pacemaker sends an electrical pulse when your heart goes below the minimum rate, helping your heart stay on beat. 

Why would you need a pacemaker? 

If you’re living with bradycardia (slow heartbeat), you’re likely a candidate for a pacemaker. The other reason you may need a pacemaker is to prevent heart failure. 

If your heart beats too slowly, oxygenated blood can’t reach your organs efficiently, causing such symptoms as: 

• Chest pain
• Fatigue
• Dizziness
• Lack of endurance
• Memory problems
• Fainting

Without a pacemaker, bradycardia symptoms can negatively affect your daily life and longevity. Some patients require a pacemaker after an overdose, surgery, or a heart attack. In such cases, however, the pacemaker is temporary, as your heart’s rhythm is expected to recover. 

What does getting a pacemaker entail? 

Dr. Sanghi discusses your symptoms, medical history, and any medications or supplements you take. To confirm a bradycardia diagnosis or whether you’d otherwise benefit from a pacemaker, he may perform testing, such as an ultrasound, stress test, or cardiac event monitoring.

If a pacemaker is necessary, the office staff schedules your procedure. Your pacemaker implant is an outpatient surgery performed at the local hospital or at The Ambulatory Surgical Center at Heart & Vascular Associates, a modern, freestanding, state-of-the-art surgical facility.

You can have a regular meal the night before your procedure, but you must cut out all food, water, and candy by midnight. After making sure you’re comfortable in the hospital, we give you local or general anesthesia to protect you from discomfort without putting you to sleep.

After covering you in a sheet, Dr. Sanghi inserts your pacemaker through a tiny incision near your collarbone. 

The procedure lasts 1-2 hours. After your procedure, you may need to stay one night in the hospital while Dr. Sanghi monitors your progress. You need to arrange a ride home and plan to avoid strenuous activity for at least one month. 

Dr. Sanghi checks in with you in the office every seven days until the wound heals and then every three months to ensure the device works well. 

If you’re living with signs of arrhythmia, call our office at (520) 335-2400 or request an appointment online today.