Pacemakers

A pacemaker is a medical device that fixes hearts that aren't beating properly. When the pacemaker senses irregular beating of the heart, it will fire a short, low voltage pulse to stimulate beating. There are also many different types of pacemakers in the market. Demand pacemakers are pacemakers that monitor the heart's natural electrical activity and discharge only when the heart's own rate is too slow or the heart misses a beat. Fixed-rate pacemakers discharge impulses at a single, steady rate, regardless of the heart's own electrical activity. Rate-responsive pacemakers are designed to raise or lower the pacing rate to help meet the body's needs during physical activity or rest. Pacemakers may also be single, dual or triple-chambered pacemakers. Single-chambered pacemakers generally only have to carry impulses to and from either the right atrium to the right ventricle. A dual-chamber pacemaker usually only has two leads, one to the right atrium and one to the right ventricle, both of which can monitor and carry impulses to one or both chambers. This type of pacemaker mimics the natural function of the heart. Triple-chambered pacemakers improve the heart's blood flow. There are temporary and permanent pacemakers that can be either be implanted or not. It really depends on which pacemaker is best suited to your heart's needs, but I feel that the rate-responsive pacemakers are best. They do not exert unnecessary electrical impulses like the fixed-rate pacemakers do. They can also adjust to different needs of the body during different strenous activities.