Heart conditions are as severe as they appear. Your heart, a vital organ in determining the functioning of your bodily organs, is required to be kept in top shape. Any conditions affecting it must be addressed with immediate effect as it directly affects your quality of life. Problems with your heart’s electrical activity may result in heart rhythm irregularities. This may require the application of an artificial pacemaker. Read more to find out about artificial pacemaker in Houston and how and when it is needed or required.
What is a Pacemaker?
This is a small device implanted in your chest to assist in controlling the heartbeat. It is also referred to as a cardiac pacing device to prevent the heart from beating too slowly. The implant of a pacemaker requires a surgical procedure.
There are several types of pacemakers, depending on your condition. These include:
· Single chamber pacemaker: This one typically carries electrical impulses to the right ventricle of your heart.
· Dual-chamber pacemaker: This pacemaker carries electrical impulses to the right atrium and the right ventricle of your heart and, as a result, assists in controlling the timing of contractions between the two chambers.
· Biventricular pacemaker: Cardiac resynchronization therapy or biventricular pacing is typically applied to heart problems and heart failure patients. This pacemaker type stimulates the left and right ventricles to help the heart beat more efficiently.
The heart is a muscular pump fitted with four chambers, two on the left and two on the right side. The lower and upper chambers work with your heart’s electrical system to keep your heart beating at a standard rate, i.e., 60-100 beats a minute for an adult resting.
Your heart’s electrical system regulates your heartbeat starting in the group of cells at the upper part of your heart to the lower part resulting in your heart contracting and pumping blood. An irregular heart rhythm may be caused by specific genetic conditions, aging, muscle damage from a heart attack, or medications.
What a pacemaker does
The pacemaker only works when necessary, i.e., if your heartbeat is too slow, the pacemaker sends signals to your heart to correct the beat. Advanced pacemakers have sensors that detect breathing rates or body motion signaling the devices to increase the heart rate during activities such as exercise. A pacemaker is made of two components:
· Pulse generator: This is a tiny metallic box that contains a battery and the electrical circuitry which controls the rate of electrical pulses going to the heart.
· Electrodes(Leads): Between one and three insulated, flexible wires are each placed in one or more heart chambers to deliver the electrical pulses that adjust the heart rate.
Pacemakers are devices that prolong your life, let alone improve your life’s quality. Due to the delicate nature of heart conditions, pacemaker implantations should be thoroughly gone through by your group of doctors to determine how necessary it is. If you have any questions or would like to book a consultation, visit our website or call our offices in Humble, TX.
