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What Precisely Is a Pace Maker?

A pacemaker is small metal box that contains a computerized battery-powered generator. One, two or three wires with electrodes come out of one side of the box and connect directly to the heart.

  1. Purpose

    • A pacemaker helps to regulate the heartbeat using electrical pulses.

    Location

    • Pacemakers are inserted just under the skin in the abdomen or chest.

    Computer Chip

    • A computer chip tells the pacemaker's generator when to send electrical pulses to the heart.

    Transmitting Information

    • A computer chip inside the pacemaker receives information from the heart through the wires, allowing it monitor blood temperature, breathing and movement.

    Recording Data

    • According to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, a pacemaker's computer chip also records data about the heart's rhythm and electrical activity. Cardiologists use this information to adjust the pacemaker for optimal performance.

    Programming Types

    • Demand pacemakers stimulate the heart when it skips a beat or is beating too slowly. A rate-responsive pacemaker can slow down or speed up the heart, depending on activity level

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