Single chamber

A pacemaker is an electronic device used to treat patients who have symptoms caused by abnormally slow heartbeats. A pacemaker is capable of keeping track of the patient's heartbeats. If the patient's heart is beating too slowly, the pacemaker will generate electrical signals similar to the heart's natural signals, causing the heart to beat faster. The purpose of the pacemaker is to maintain heartbeats so that adequate oxygen and nutrients are delivered through the blood to the organs of the body.

What is the normal function of the heart ?

The heart is an organ consisting of four chambers that pump blood. The two upper chambers are called the right and left atria, and the two lower chambers are called the right and left ventricles. The right atrium receives venous blood (oxygen-poor blood) from the body and pumps it into the right ventricle. The right ventricle pumps the oxygen-poor blood to the lungs to receive oxygen. The oxygen-rich blood from the lungs then travels to the left atrium and is pumped by the left atrium into the left ventricle.

The left ventricle delivers the oxygen-rich blood to the rest of the body. In addition to oxygen, the blood transports other nutrients (glucose, electrolytes, etc.) to the organs. In order to keep a body healthy, the heart must maintain an adequate heartbeat (heart rate) so that sufficient amount of oxygen and nutrients are delivered by the left ventricle to the body. The heartbeat (heart rate) is normally governed by the frequency of electrical signals which are generated by the heart's natural pacemaker called the SA node. The SA node is located on the wall of the right atrium...

What are the causes of slow heart rates ?

Abnormally slow heart rates (bradycardias) can result from diseases affecting the SA node, the conduction tissues, and the AV node. Sick sinus syndrome is a disease wherein the SA node cannot generate signals frequently enough to maintain adequate heart rate. Heart blocks are conditions where diseases (such as heart attacks) or degeneration (due to processes such as aging) of the AV node and/or the conduction tissues impair the transmission of signals from the SA node to the heart muscles...

What happens when the heart beats too slowly ?

When the heart beats too slowly, an insufficient amount of blood reaches the organs. An insufficient supply of oxygen and nutrients can lead to malfunction and failure of the organs. The organ most affected by the lack of oxygen and glucose is the brain. Symptoms of insufficient blood supply to the brain include lightheadedness, forgetfulness, and loss of consciousness. Symptoms of inadequate blood supply to the muscles include tiredness, malaise, and fatigue. An insufficient blood supply to other organs can lead to heart, kidney, and liver failure. When an abnormally slow heart rate causes symptoms and/or organ failures, treatment for the slow heart rate becomes necessary...

How can an abnormally slow heart rate be increased ?

There is no medicine available in oral (pill) form that can be taken regularly to increase the heart rate. Currently, the only method to consistently increase the heart rate is the use of a pacemaker to send electrical signals to generate heartbeats. Temporary pacemakers are usually used first, especially if the abnormally slow heart rate is believed to be transient (lasting only days) and caused by conditions that are reversible or correctable. Temporary pacemakers are easily disconnected if the heart rate returns to normal.

How are pacemakers implanted ?

Pacemaker systems are often implanted under local anesthesia in a cardiac catheterization laboratory. Implantation of a pacemaker is considered a minor procedure. Some hospitals with electrophysiology laboratories implant pacemakers there. Hospitals without catheterization labs implant pacemakers in the operating room.

What are possible complications of pacemaker implantation ?

Pacemaker implantation is a safe procedure in experienced hands. The death rate due to a direct complication from pacemaker implantation is less than one in 10,000 implantations. Complications occur less than 1% of the time and include bleeding, bruising, and infection at the implantation site, introduction of air into the space between the lung and chest wall (necessitating chest tube placement),

What are the types of pacemakers ?

Pacemakers may contain one or multiple leads. A single-chamber pacemaker has one lead while a dual-chamber has two leads. When the lead from a single-chamber pacemaker is placed in the ventricle, the pacemaker is able to receive signals from and pace only the ventricle. If the lead is placed in the atrium, the pacemaker will be able to receive signals from and pace only the atrium. Depending on the cause and the nature of the bradycardia, the doctor decides where to place the single lead.

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