Table of contents:
- What is the function of a pacemaker?
- How do pacemakers deal with heart rhythm conditions?
- Who needs to have their heart pumped with this tool?
- What results do you expect after using this tool?
You may have seen pacemakers that often appear in movie scenes. If in the film you see this tool being used by doctors to help patients who have had cardiac arrest, what about in the real world? Is the tool really used according to its function? Let's take a look at the explanation of the functions and how to use a pacemaker below.
What is the function of a pacemaker?
A pacemaker or defribrilator is a tool to treat life-threatening heart rhythm disorders or arrhythmias. This device will be attached to the patient's chest or stomach area to help the patient control abnormal heart rhythms.
This tool will send an electric shock to the heart to help stimulate the heart rate and heart muscle to return to normal function.
This tool is used to treat arrhythmias because when a patient experiences this condition, the heart rhythm can beat too fast, too slow or with an unusual rhythm. If the heart beats too fast, this condition is called tachycardia. Meanwhile, a heart that beats too slowly is called bradycardia.
During an arrhythmia, your heart may not be able to function normally, so your heart may not pump blood around your body normally. This can cause the volume of blood pumped out of the heart to not match the needs of other organs in the body.
Of course, this can cause a variety of symptoms, including fatigue, shortness of breath, and fainting. In fact, an arrhythmia that is already classified as severe can cause damage to vital organs that can lead to death.
Therefore, people with arrhythmia need the help of this pacemaker to overcome their condition. The reason is, this tool can be used to reduce symptoms of arrhythmias such as fatigue or fainting. This tool can also help sufferers of heart rhythm disorders to stay active.
Initially, defibrillators were only used to prevent sudden death as a result ventricular tachycardia (VT). One type of arrhythmia is characterized by a very fast heart chambers, even more than 100 beats per minute. Finally, it causes an abnormal heartbeat that occurs in a row, at least 3 times.
Well, experts agree that the use of a pacemaker coupled with resuscitation measures can increase the patient's chances of survival. Even so, because this action is only done when the patient has experienced VT, experts say that it is a secondary precaution.
How do pacemakers deal with heart rhythm conditions?
A pacemaker consists of a battery, a computerized generator, and wires equipped with sensors, called electrodes, at the ends. The battery is used to power the generator, and the wires connect the generator to the heart.
These pacemakers help doctors monitor and control the patient's heart rate. Electrodes or sensors detect electrical activity in the heart and send data via cables to the computer in the generator.
If your heart has an abnormal rhythm, the computer will direct a generator to send electric shocks to the heart. These electric shocks travel through the wires to the heart.
In fact, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, if you use a new pacemaker, it will not only control your heart rate, but also blood temperature, respiration, and various other bodily activities. This tool can also adjust the heart rate with changes in activity performed by the patient.
Not only that, the computer in the pacemaker generator can also record electrical activity and heart rhythm, so the doctor can use the data to adjust the pacemaker to make it work better for you.
This device has one to three wires, each of which is placed in a different chamber of the heart.
- If the pacemaker is equipped with only one wire, it usually only delivers an electric shock through the generator to the right ventricle or heart chamber, which is located at the lower right side.
- If the pacemaker is equipped with two wires, it usually only delivers electric shocks to the right atrium or heart chamber in the upper right and right ventricle.
- If the pacemaker is equipped with three wires, it applies an electric shock to one of the atria and both sides of the ventricles.
Who needs to have their heart pumped with this tool?
There are some people with certain conditions who need help with a defibrillator, including:
- People having episodes of cardiac arrest with ventricular fibrillation or ventricular tachycardia.
- People who have had a heart attack and are at high risk for sudden cardiac arrest.
- People who have hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and are at high risk for sudden cardiac arrest.
- People with diffuse hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, have reduced heart function, and are at increased risk of cardiac arrest.
- People who have had at least one episode of ventricular tachycardia.
What results do you expect after using this tool?
Using a pacemaker should reduce the symptoms that arise from a slow heart rate, such as fatigue, lightheadedness, and fainting.
In addition, doctors must carry out regular checks on the use of this pacemaker every three to six months. If you gain weight, tell your doctor right away.
You should also tell your doctor if your feet or ankles feel tight, and you feel like you might pass out or feel dizzy.
Since this pacemaker can automatically adjust to your heart rate in order to make adjustments to your daily activities, it can help you carry out your daily activities as usual.
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