Why Do People Have Pacemakers or Defibrillators?

Pacemakers and defibrillators are implanted devices designed to prevent or correct certain heart function irregularities. Pacemakers work steadily to regulate the heartbeat, while defibrillators use electrical shocks to correct abnormal heart rhythms.
  1. The Facts

    • According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), irregularities in heart rhythm (arrhythmias) result from faulty electrical signaling inside the heart. Potential consequences of arrhythmia include fainting, shortness of breath, fatigue, organ damage and death.

    Pacemakers

    • Pacemakers correct the heart's signals with low-energy pulses of electricity. The NHLBI cites benefits of pacemaker use that include slowing fast heart rhythms, speeding up slow heart rhythms, coordinating electrical signals between the upper and lower heart and controlling contractions of the heart's lower chambers (ventricles).

    Additional Pacemaker Functions

    • Modern pacemakers can also keep heartbeat records and adjust their electrical output based on a patient's breathing rate, blood temperature and additional indicators.

    Defibrillators

    • Cardioverter defibrillators are most typically used to correct an ailment called sustained ventricular tachycardia, which is characterized by a pulse rate in excess of 100 beats per minute that includes at least three consecutive irregular heartbeats. They can also correct an abnormally slow heartbeat (brachycardia).

    Significance

    • Individuals with sustained ventricular tachycardia can avoid sudden death through use of a cardioverter defibrillator.

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