adovr_d87389c80da99bef8f38776d3f905184 Articles medical and health: A Simple Pacemaker Procedure Can Save Millions Of Lives

A Simple Pacemaker Procedure Can Save Millions Of Lives

By Rebecca Murphy


Humans can lead fulfilling lives even though they suffer from certain conditions or even when some of their organs do not function normally. It is even possible to do without some organs, such as a kidney, a section of liver or a spleen. However, when the heart start giving trouble the entire body suffers and heart problems can quickly cause problems in other areas. Luckily, with a pacemaker Princeton NJ patients can continue with life at full speed.

The heart is a pump and one of the most common causes of heart problems is when the heart does not beat as it should. It beats either too slowly or too fast. The four chambers of the heart also need to work in a coordinated manner. If this is not the case, the heart cannot supply sufficient blood to the rest of the body.

When a heart does not beat as it should, a pace making device is often the simplest and most effective solution. This is a rather simple device consisting of a generator that supplies electricity and some electrodes that are connected to the chambers of the heart. The generator simply creates electric impulses through the electrodes and in this way the heart is prompted to beat in a regular rhythm.

These devices are sophisticated. They constantly monitor the heart rate and adjust the speed at which the heart beats based upon the breathing rate and the physical state of the body during exercise. This monitoring is done automatically and the heart beat is adjusted according to the needs of the body for blood and oxygen. These automatic adjustments prevent the patient from fainting or from suffering from severe fatigue.

Inserting a pace making device does not require major surgery. The generator is placed just below the collar bone of the shoulder on the left and the electrodes are guided to the heart chambers through a major vein. It is done under a local anaesthetic and the patient can go home almost immediately after the procedure. At least one follow up visit is necessary to make sure that the device is performing well.

Patients that received a pace making device do not have to change their life styles dramatically. They can still exercise but they should avoid full body contact sports. Intense magnetic fields should also be avoided and when they receive medical attention for any other condition, they should make sure that their doctors know that they have a pace making device. Initially, care should be taken to avoid infection or pressure at the implant site.

Complications from having this type of surgery is rare, but infection is always a risk after any type of invasive surgery. Some patients have an allergic reaction to the dye used during the procedure. Others experience swelling and discomfort in the area where the generator is implanted, although this normally clears up within a week or two. In very rare cases the lungs of the patient collapse.

Advances in the medical field have truly been astonishing. Condition that used to be a virtual death sentence are now routinely treated. In addition, treatment methods are becoming less and less dangerous and invasive. Millions of people are able to continue enjoying a fulfilling lifestyle after receiving a life saving pace making device.




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