For patients who are having a pacemaker implanted for the first time, there must be many questions that need to be answered so the following considerations have been put together.
1. What is a cardiac arrhythmia?
The normal heart beats 60-100 times per minute. If there is an abnormality in the origin or conduction of the heart impulses, such as a stoppage or delay in the issuance of electrical signals, a conduction disorder or an abnormal conduction speed, it can cause a change in the normal rhythm of the heart, and a fast heartbeat, a slow heartbeat or an irregular heartbeat are all arrhythmias.
2.What symptoms can be caused by bradycardia?
Bradycardia can cause symptoms such as weakness, fatigue, shortness of breath, dizziness, chest tightness, palpitations and transient loss of consciousness. Severe cases can threaten the life of patients.
3.What are the treatment methods of bradycardia?
Drug therapy: It should only be used in emergency or temporary, with poor effect, and cannot be used as a long-term treatment. Pacemaker therapy is currently the best and most effective method internationally recognized for the treatment of bradycardia.
4. What is a pacemaker?
A pacemaker is an electronic therapeutic device that is implanted in the body to stimulate the heart to beat by distributing electrical impulses, thus restoring the pumping function of the heart. It is small in size, weighing 18-30 grams, and consists of a pulse generator and electrode leads.
5. Is pacemaker implantation a big operation?
Pacemaker implantation is not a major surgery compared to open-heart surgery. The whole procedure is performed under local anesthesia and you are conscious. The whole procedure usually takes about 1 hour, and you can be discharged from the hospital 3-7 days after the operation, and you can resume your normal life soon after the operation.
6. What do I need to pay attention to after the surgery?
(1) After pacemaker implantation, you need to stay in bed for 24 hours, you can turn over to your left side, and you can eat easily digestible and nutritious food while in bed, and you should not eat eggs, soy products and other easily flatulent food; you can get out of bed for a small amount of activities after 24 hours, and then gradually increase the amount of activities for 1 week.
(2) The stitches of the postoperative wound should be removed in 7 days, and the strenuous activities of the upper limb on the pacemaker side should be avoided for 3 months after surgery, and avoid lifting the arm high and extracting heavy objects; light activities such as washing and eating are fine.
(3) If you feel local pain, redness or swelling of the wound, you should go to the hospital immediately for examination.
7.Do I need to take other medications after the pacemaker installation?
The pacemaker solves the problem of slow heartbeat, but if you still have coronary heart disease, hypertension, etc., you still need to take medication and follow up as required by your doctor.
8. Do common devices in daily life affect the pacemaker?
You can safely use the following electrical appliances in your family life or daily work: TV, hearing aid, radio, fax machine, vacuum cleaner, copy machine, hair dryer, stereo, iron, headphones, washing machine, computer, microwave oven, refrigerator, electric oven, electric stove, electric blanket, massage chair, car, motorcycle, etc. Please note that you should not switch them on and off frequently when using them.
When you are close to the pacemaker, the work of the pacemaker will be affected by high-powered intercom, welding machine, metal detector, handheld electric drill, etc. If you are not comfortable with the environment, please leave it immediately.
Equipment that seriously affects the work of pacemakers and cannot be approached include: high-voltage equipment, large motors, generators, radar, broadcasting antennas, equipment with strong magnetic fields, etc.
9.What do I need to pay attention to when taking transportation?
There is no special restriction on transportation, just avoid the seat belt pressing on the pacemaker; when the vehicle is being serviced, you should not be close to the car engine that is being started with the cover open.
10.Does the airport security screening equipment have any effect?
When you fly, the pacemaker will not be affected if you pass through the security checkpoint quickly, but the pacemaker implanted in your body will be detected by the metal detector and you need to show the “pacemaker identification card” to the staff in advance.
11. Do supermarket and library security devices have any effect?
Usually not. It is recommended not to lean or stay in the device, but to pass quickly.
12. Can patients with pacemakers use cell phones?
Patients with pacemakers can use cell phones just like normal people. However, the electromagnetic waves of cell phones may affect the pacemaker, especially at the moment of switching on and off and when the power is switched on and off, when the electromagnetic wave signal is strong. Studies have shown that the use of a cell phone more than 15 cm away from the pacemaker does not affect the work of the pacemaker. If the pacemaker is implanted in the patient’s right chest, please use the ear on the opposite side of the pacemaker to answer the phone and do not put the cell phone in your jacket pocket or hang it on your chest.
13. Do medical devices have an effect on the pacemaker?
When you go to the hospital, be sure to tell your doctor that you have a pacemaker. Medical devices such as ultrasound, nuclear medicine, lung perfusion/ventilation scans, CT, X-ray, ECG do not affect the work of the pacemaker; magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), electric defibrillation, electric branding, etc. can have an effect on the work of the pacemaker, so avoid exposure.
Some brands of pacemakers are now able to accept MRI scans, which will bring more convenience to pacemaker patients.
14. How long is the life of a pacemaker?
It is a battery-operated device, so it has a limited lifespan. Generally speaking, a dual-chamber pacemaker lasts 6-8 years and a single-chamber pacemaker lasts 8-10 years, depending on the type of pacemaker, the model, the individual patient and the procedure set by the physician.
15. Do I need to be reviewed regularly?
After your pacemaker has been implanted, your doctor will have to check the working condition and normal parameters of the pacemaker on a regular basis. In order to ensure the proper functioning of the pacemaker, please make sure that you have regular checkups:.
A review is required 1-3 months after the operation and thereafter a follow-up every 6 months to a year. Pacemakers close to the replacement period should be checked every 3 months.