Pacemakers demystified.

Hi folks.

I was showing my blog to a friend of mine and when she read this name, she said - what is this pacemaker? So lets talk something about that.

Let me also tell you the reason for including it in blogs name. It is the best example of how much electricity is close to you- inside you, It can not be seen and felt but we are people controlling it so precisely that life of the people is at stake. 

We're all born with a 'pacemaker'. It's called the sinoatrial node (SA node), a small area at the top of the right atrium (upper chamber) of the heart. The SA node automatically generates an electrical signal that causes the upper chambers of the heart to contract. This signal begins in the SA node and travels to the atrioventricular node (AV node, which is also the SA node's back-up). The AV node acts slows down the electrical signal as it moves on to the lower chambers of the heart, while the atria contracts. With each contraction blood is pumped through the body.

In some people, the heart's electrical system -- called the cardiac conduction system -- misfires. A pacemaker is often able to correct and regulate the problem.

Unfortunately, the AV node is a poor substitute for the SA node and is usually only able to cause about 40 heartbeats per minute. In this situation an implantable permanent pacemaker can make a world of difference.

A pacemaker is an electronic device used to prevent a heart from beating abnormally. It's a generator made up of a battery and computer circuitry housed in a metal casing. The casing is implanted under the skin in the upper chest or shoulder region. Pacemaker wires are threaded through the veins of the shoulder and guided into the heart with the help of X-rays. Once the wires are positioned in the heart they are hooked up to the generator.

The first permanent pacemaker implant happened in 1958. Today there are three basic types of pacemakers:

• Single-chamber pacemakers
• Dual-chamber pacemakers.
• Bi-ventricular pacemakers

There are two main types of pacemaker programming: demand and rate-responsive. A demand pacemaker is designed to sense when the heart needs assistance by measuring each heartbeat and firing when the heartbeat becomes too slow or misses a beat. Rate-responsive pacemakers adjust heart rates depending on the patient's level of activity. They measure the SA node rate but also breathing, blood temperature and other factors.

Today's permanent pacemakers last at least 6 to 10 years depending on how frequently the device has to work. Every time a pacemaker is triggered it drains its battery. Occasionally a temporary pacemaker is used, usually during a patient's recovery from a heart attack or during an emergency situation to immediately speed up a slow heart rate.

So I really hope you liked knowing about the pacemakers. How pacemakers were invented is also a nice story. Do search for it. Thank you for your time and please free to comment about your interests.