single-chamber pacemaker – this has 1 wire, which is connected to either the right atrium (upper heart chamber) or right ventricle (lower heart chamber).There are several different types of pacemaker. cardiomyopathy (abnormalities of the heart muscle, which leads to poor heart function).congenital heart disease (where a person is born with one or more defects affecting their heart). coronary heart disease (where the main vessels that supply the heart become narrowed and hardened, reducing the blood supply).After the shock, the heart should start beating normally again.Īn ICD implantation may be recommended if you have had a cardiac arrest in the past or it's thought you have a significant risk of having one in the future.įactors that increase the risk of a cardiac arrest occurring include: If the ICD detects these type of signals, it sends a powerful electrical shock to the heart. Unless it's treated quickly, a cardiac arrest will be fatal.Īn ICD can detect abnormal electrical signals that could indicate that a cardiac arrest is about to happen. Cardiac arrestĪn implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD), which is a device similar to a pacemaker, is mainly used to prevent cardiac arrest.Ī cardiac arrest is a potentially fatal condition where the electrical activity that controls the heart becomes so disrupted that the heart stops beating. If you have heart block and it's causing troublesome symptoms, a pacemaker will usually be recommended. Heart block can be caused when the heart is damaged (acquired heart block), or it can occur if a baby is born with 1 or more defects that affect their heart (congenital heart block). In people with heart block, the pulse that needs to be sent from the SA node to the AV node is either delayed or absent. In these cases, a pacemaker will usually be recommended. Sometimes people with atrial fibrillation can have a much slower pulse rate than normal, which can also be intermittent (not continuous). This is usually considerably higher than 100 beats a minute (often 140 beats a minute or more).Ītrial fibrillation can usually be treated with medication, but some people don't respond to treatment, so a pacemaker may be recommended. Atrial fibrillationĪtrial fibrillation is a condition that causes the heart to beat abnormally fast. These include calcium channel blockers and beta blockers. Some types of medication can also trigger sick sinus syndrome as a side effect. This can disrupt the normal pattern of electrical pulses released by the SA node. Over time, the SA node tissue can become hardened and scarred. Most cases of sick sinus syndrome are thought to be related to age. irregular or fluttering heartbeats (palpitations).a slower pulse than normal (bradycardia).Symptoms of sick sinus syndrome can include: This can lead to an abnormally slow heartbeat (bradycardia), an abnormally fast heartbeat (tachycardia), or a combination of both. In sick sinus syndrome, the SA node doesn't work as it should. Here are some of the most common causes of arrhythmias: Sick sinus syndrome The AV node relays the pulse to the 2 lower chambers of the heart (the ventricles).Ī pacemaker or implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) is needed when something disrupts this process and causes an abnormal heartbeat.Īn abnormal heartbeat is called an arrhythmia. The pulse is then sent to a group of cells known as the atrioventricular node (AV node). The SA node is often referred to as a natural pacemaker because it generates a series of electrical pulses at regular intervals. The contractions are triggered by electrical pulses. These are generated by a group of specialised cells known as the sinoatrial node (SA node). Pacemakers are sometimes recommended for people with conditions that cause the heart to beat abnormally.Įach time the heart beats, the heart muscle contracts (pulls inwards) in preparation for pumping blood around the body.
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