If you have had a pacemaker implanted, you are probably feeling more peace of mind as well as enjoying a healthier heart. But having the device implanted does not mean that you can relax and forget about it. Dr. Diego programs the pacemaker to set the rhythm of your heartbeat. Regular office visits are necessary after the implant, to fine-tune the heartbeat to your body’s needs. In these follow-up visits, the doctor will check the battery, ask you how you’ve felt since you had the device implanted, assess your medical condition, adjust the settings on your device if necessary, and answer any questions you may have.
As you probably know, a pacemaker sends electrical impulses to maintain a regular heart rate and rhythm.
Pacemakers are often used to treat bradyarrythmia, which is an abnormally slow heart rate. If your heart rate drops below a certain number of beats per minute, the pacemaker generates an electrical impulse that stimulates the heart muscle, triggering a heartbeat.
Pacemakers are also implanted in patients who’ve already experienced a heart attack, and whose heart rhythm has been disrupted. Unlike the regular pacemaker, which stimulates one chamber of the heart, a biventricular pacemaker, as it’s called, activates both lower chambers of the heart. This helps the heart beat more efficiently.
Understandably, patients with pacemakers are often anxious about the activities they should or should not do after the implant. Dr. Diego can discuss your physical activity, including work, recreational activities, and sex.
If you have been feeling shortness of breath, confusion, fainting spells or weakness, you should call our Miami office for an appointment immediately. These are signs of poor blood flow, which can be corrected with a pacemaker adjustment. It’s important to have good communication between the doctor and the patient with a pacemaker. The doctor’s work is not done when the pacemaker is installed. Just like a fine-tuned engine, the patient with a pacemaker needs regular maintenance.