What is a pacemaker? A pacemaker, also called a pulse generator, is a machine that uses an advanced microcomputer to programmatically deliver a pulse current to the heart as required to drive the heart to work. What do temporary and permanent pacemakers do? Temporary pacemakers can be installed in cases of transient slow arrhythmias caused by acute damage to the heart, where drug control is ineffective, pending recovery of the heart’s own rhythm (usually observed for 15 days). In cases of irreversible permanent damage to the heart with a long history or when the rhythm does not recover after the observation period of temporary pacing, a permanent pacemaker is installed. The “life-saving” and “life-preserving” significance of pacemakers. With a pacemaker, once the heart stops or ventricular fibrillation occurs, the pacemaker can work automatically to restore the heart to normal, thus “saving” and “saving life”. How is a pacemaker installed in the heart? How big is the pacemaker installation procedure? The electrode leads are fixed to the inner wall of the heart along the blood vessels, and the other end is connected to the pulse generator and buried under the skin of the chest wall or abdominal wall, with a skin opening of about 3-5 cm. Subclavian puncture is generally the most commonly used and safest, while others include the cephalic vein, external jugular vein, and internal jugular vein. Which patients are suitable for pacemaker therapy? 1. Slow arrhythmias such as sick sinus syndrome, atrioventricular block, sinus arrest, etc. 2. Severe rapid arrhythmias such as ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation can be treated with defibrillation pacemakers. 3.Severe intractable heart failure can be treated with double-chamber, three-chamber or four-chamber pacemakers. 4. Cardiogenic syncope of unknown origin. What should I pay attention to after surgery? Do not come into contact with excessively strong magnetic fields, such as MRI, electric field interference under high voltage lines, magnetic field interference of high power appliances, etc. When playing cell phones, they should be at least 15 centimeters away from the pacemaker, and general home electromagnetic fields are not affected. Special types of pacemakers: (1) Anti-heart failure pacemakers: three-chamber and four-chamber pacemakers. (2) Anti-tachycardia pacemakers: treatment of tachycardia caused by the folding mechanism, which is no longer used and whose treatment is less economical and more reliable than radiofrequency ablation. (3) Automatic resetting defibrillator (AICD): treatment of ventricular fibrillation and prevention of sudden cardiac death. (4) Automatic pacing cardioverter-defibrillator (AIPCD): treatment of ventricular fibrillation combined with poor autonomic function.