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What Are the Indications for Inserting a Pacemaker?

Doctors will insert a pacemaker to address treating the symptoms of an underlying cardiac dysrhythmia. When the natural electrical system of the heart is disturbed, so is the heart's ability to meet the needs of the body. A gas pump is mechanical and will not fill your car's tank if the electricity to it is shut off; in the same way, the mechanical pumping action of the human heart relies on electrical stimulation.

  1. The Heart's Natural Wiring

    • Sometimes, the heart's electrical system malfunctions and a pacemaker is needed.

      The heart is divided into four chambers. Tthe top two chambers are the atria, and the lower two are the ventricles. Located in the right atria is a small bundle of fibers known as the sinoatrial (SA) node. When the body is at rest, the SA node usually fires and electrical impulse 60 to 100 times every minute. This is the body's pulse rate, and it is measured in beats per minute (bpm).

    Slow Pulse Rate

    • A slow heart rate can cause fatigue, dizziness and fainting.

      When the heart's pulse rate drops below 60 bpm, the resulting electrical rhythm is referred to as bradycardia. Bradycardia can cause fatigue, nausea, dizziness, fainting and/or confusion, as well as other symptoms. Blood carries oxygen to the brain, muscles and other systems of the body. If the heart pumps too slowly, the brain is deprived of much-needed oxygen. A pacemaker helps to maintain a faster heart rate in this instance.

    Rapid Pulse Rate

    • A pulse rate that is too fast can cause many of the same symptoms as one too slow.

      Although a pacemaker cannot necessarily slow down a heart rate, it can assist the patient when her rate is too rapid in some instances. In atrial fibrillation, the top chambers of the heart quiver and do not pump rhythmically. This can cause a fluttering sensation in the patient's chest. Along with anti-coagulant therapy, a pacemaker can fill in the gaps caused by the fluttering atria. This helps reduce related dizziness and fatigue.

    Disorganized Heart Rhythm

    • A disorganized heart rate can lead to death.

      Illness or aging can cause the SA node to weaken. This may cause a heart rhythm that is erratic. A pacemaker senses that the heart is not producing an electrical impulse and fires in place of the missed waveform. This type of heart rhythm is seen in patients diagnosed with heart blocks. The term "heart block" is used when the electrical system is damaged and blocks the normal flow of the electrical pathways, much the way water cannot pass easily through a twist in a garden hose.

    Exercise Intolerance

    • A pacemaker can help with feeling tired when exercising or during activity.

      When someone begins vigorous physical activity, the heart sometimes does not raise and lower the rate in conjunction to match the activity. In a healthy heart, the rates moves up and down in response to how much demand is placed upon it to deliver oxygenated blood to the body. If someone is exercise intolerant, the heart isn't able to vary the rate and rhythm because the SA node loses its ability to sense the needs of the body. A pacemaker can help such a patient.

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