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Artificial Pacemaker: The Heart

Artificial Pacemaker: The Heart. Kaitlin Abbate. The Healthy Heart. Natural Pacemaker: Sinoatrial Node (SA node) Located in the right atrium Sends electric impulses from atriums to ventricles which causes them to contract. Contractions are what allows blood to flow

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Artificial Pacemaker: The Heart

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  1. Artificial Pacemaker:The Heart Kaitlin Abbate

  2. The Healthy Heart • Natural Pacemaker: Sinoatrial Node (SA node) • Located in the right atrium • Sends electric impulses from atriums to ventricles which causes them to contract

  3. Contractions are what allows blood to flow What happens when SA node does not work properly? Blood cannot flow like it should, so we need a substitute…

  4. The Artificial Pacemaker! • A small device placed in the chest to control abnormal heart rhythms • Uses a computer memory to generate electronic signals at the right pace • Doctors pre-determine the “right pace” and it can be adjusted at any time

  5. Who needs a pacemaker? • Atrial Fibrillation: heart beats very rapidly and chaotically • Not life threatening itself but may lead to stroke or chest pain • Bradycardia: heart beats too slowly • Caused by age or heart block • Heart Blockthe electrical signal is slowed or disrupted as it moves through chambers of heart • Caused by a heart attack or muscular dystrophy

  6. Anyone else? Yes! • Syncope: “the common faint” • Heart rate sometimes becomes very slow • Heart Failure: heart cannot supply enough blood to meet body’s needs • Caused by heart disease, hypertension, cardiomyopathy

  7. What does a pacemaker look like? Composed of TWO main parts Generator (battery) Leads (wires)

  8. The Generator • Acts as a very small computer • Sends out sparks of electricity that trigger the heart to beat • Also records heart’s electrical activity and heart rhythm so doctors can better adjust the pacemaker. • This way, each pacemaker works according to individual needs

  9. The Leads • Wires threaded through veins and attached to heart muscle, carrying the impulses • Single Chamber: one lead in ventricle OR atria • Dual Chamber: one lead in ventricle AND atria • Biventricular: one lead in atria and one lead in EACH ventricle

  10. Single Chambered Dual Chambered

  11. The Surgery Overview • Requires MINOR surgery • Takes 2-3 hours • Generally, NOT put to sleep • However, most children are for obvious reasons • Stay in hospital overnight • Return to normal activities a few days after surgery

  12. The Actual Procedure • Inject local numbing medication • Put needle in a large vein in shoulder • Thread the leads of pacemaker through the needle and into correct places in heart muscle • Cut a small hole into skin of chest and place pacemaker battery just under skin • Connect the wires to the battery and test • Sew ‘em up!

  13. Located just under the skin…

  14. Life Post-Pacemaker • Electrical Devices can interfere! • Cell phones, ipods • Microwaves • Metal detectors • Electrical generators • However, only long periods of contact really have an impact • Also, this danger is lowered with newer devices

  15. Limited Physical Activity? • Not really! One can pretty much participate in sports, and even strenuous exercises • Still, ask your doctor though, cases may vary • However, full contact sports should always be avoided • do not want to disrupt the battery or move any wires • BAD

  16. Pacemaker Maintenance • Pacemakers do not last forever • Battery actually last between 5-15 years with 6-8 years being average • Wires usually last a little longer • All depends on how active the pacemaker is • Regular check-ups with doctor are a must to make sure the battery/wires are up to par

  17. Pacemakers for Pets! • Used for the same reasons and same types • Usually less expensive • Pacemakers used are actually ones that power source is below acceptable limits for people • Implanted generally the same way • Except most wires inserted through jugular vein rather than shoulder vein simply because bodies differ • Animals that have been able to accept pacemakers so far: • Dogs, cats • Cows, bulls • Horses • Sheep, goats

  18. The End!

  19. References/Picture Sources • Artificial Pacemaker -." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, 20 Mar. 2010. Web. 21 Mar. 2010. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artificial_pacemaker>. • "HowStuffWorks "Chambers and Valves"" Howstuffworks "Health" Discovery, 1998. Web. 24 Mar. 2010. <http://health.howstuffworks.com/heart2.htm>. • "Living with a Pacemaker." National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. Web. 25 Mar. 2010. <http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/pace/pace_lifestyle.html>. • "Pacemakers." Pets With Pacemakers - Info and Support for Pet Pacemaker Recipients. Web. 25 Mar. 2010. <http://www.petswithpacemakers.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=section&layout=blog&id=12&Itemid=119>. • "Pacemakers." Welcome to the London Cardiac Institute. London Cardiac Institute. Web. 22 Mar. 2010. <http://londoncardiac.ca/pages/pacer.htm>. • "Pacemakers and Abnormal Heart Rhythms." WebMD - Better Information. Better Health. Web. 25 Mar. 2010. <http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/abnormal-rhythyms-pacemaker>. • <http://biomed.brown.edu/Courses/BI108/BI108_2008_Groups/group10/img/pacemaker/2.jpg> • <http://www.blogcdn.com/www.switched.com/media/2008/08/799205_96399001.jpg> • <http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/82/St_Jude_Medical_pacemaker_in_hand.jpg> • <http://www.southwestlondoncardiacnetwork.nhs.uk/Images/pacemaker_cartoon.jpg>

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