What Is an Artificial Pace Maker?

An artificial pacemaker is a small mechanical device that is operated by a lithium battery. This device uses electrical impulses to keep the heart beating at a regular rate. Most pacemakers work on demand; they turn on and off when needed.

History

• Battery

  In 1958, Wilson Greatbatch unintentionally invented the pacemaker while he was building an oscillator to listen to heart sounds. Later, he added the lithium iodine battery to power it. The first human implantation was in 1960.

Categories

• Surgery

  There are many different types of artificial pacemakers: internal and external. The internal pacemaker must be surgically implanted under the skin and attached to the patient's heart with wires. The external pacemaker is worn externally and is only for temporary use.

Function

• Electrocardiogram leads

  The artificial pacemaker is used when the heart's natural pacemaker, the sinus node of the upper right atrium, is defective and causing an irregular heart beat. The artificial pacemaker uses wires and electrical impulses to cause the heart to beat a normal rhythm. These wires, or leads, can be attached to the atria or both the atria and the ventricles.

Symptoms

• A doctor's exam room

  If a person's heart is beating to slow or racing to fast, dizziness or fainting may occur. Blurry vision, shortness of breath and chest pain might also indicate a heart problem that could be treated with a pacemaker.

Surgery

• Heart activity is monitored.

  Pacemaker surgery is considered minor surgery. The pacemaker wires are threaded through a large vein to the heart, and the generator is inserted under the skin and connected to the wires. It only takes a few hours and an overnight stay. As with any surgery, there are risks, but they are considered minimal and problems are atypical. After surgery, there is some discomfort, swelling and bruising that can last from a few days to a few weeks. Most people return to normal activities in just a few days.

Living With a Pacemaker

• Swimming is a great exercise.

  Life should not change significantly after receiving a pacemaker. A person can be extremely active with the exception of full-contact sports like football, which could damage the pacemaker. There should be no sustained contact with electrical devices and strong magnetic fields. Medical treatments like electrocauterization and shock-wave lithotripsy must be avoided, as should MRIs. Regular follow-ups to check the pacemaker are also necessary.