What happens at death

My mother is 96 years old and has had a pacemaker for
about 12 years. A nephew of hers told her he would never
have one put in because if he died it would not stop beating.
He also told her that she would be put in a room by herself
until the battery died. This was inforced by an Rn who she
met last year. Her battery is getting low and she thinks this
is a good time to die. As you see I need some good info
on what happens after you pass away. The procedure for
stopping this life saver pacemaker.

Thanks
Her son Charlie

5 Comments

beating

by Tracey_E - 2009-04-26 06:04:20

Your nephew is totally off base, I sure hope he doesn't have your mom worried. The pm generates an impulse that causes the heart to beat. At death, the heart simply stops responding to the impulse and the beating stops.

It may or not be an easy way to go. I would discuss with her doctor what her underlying rate is and what he thinks would happen.

This has come up several times recently, if you do a search you can see the other discussions.

Pacemakers

by SMITTY - 2009-04-26 07:04:43

Hey Charlie,

That is an awful thing to lay on your mother. When her times comes that pacemaker may continue sending impulses to her heart beat, but her heart will not respond. The pacemaker will absolutely not be the sole reason she continues to live. There are many body organs that must continue to function for any of us to continue to live. Admittedly, we will die faster if some, such as the brain or heart cease to function, but let any one or more failing organs or organ systems stop and your mother would not be able to survive.

Some of the organs and organ systems that can fail are breathing (respiratory system); heart and blood pressure; kidney; and intestines. The brain and spinal cord (central nervous system) may also fail and these support the other body functions. Take a look at this list and you can see that the heart stopping is only one of many reasons a person may die.

Our pacemakers work in conjunction with the signal and impulses it receives to help maintain a life sustaining heart rhythm, but let any of those signals cease and the pacemaker just becomes a piece of scrap metal which will be removed after the death of a person.

It is a very poor nurse that would confirm such information as your nephew told your mother and she should be severely chastised for telling such.

As for the battery getting low, ask her doctor for the expected remaining life of that battery. Determining the remaining life of a battery is not an exact science, so even the number the doctor quotes may not be accurate.

Also, why does your mother have a pacemaker? If she got one just because of a low heart rate, even if the pacemaker stopped completely her heart rate would probably return to that low rate and many people if they are not very active physically a low heart rate can keep them going for a long time. Another thing if this 12 years old pacemaker is her original one, then I have to guess she has never used that pacemaker very much and it has played a very minor role in keeping her alive.

But again, talk to her doctor. He knows your mother's health better than anyone and can give you reliable information.

In the meantime just tell your mother that God is in control and when her time gets here he will let her know, pacemaker or not. I wish you and your mother the best.

Smitty

Pacemaker & death...

by chip - 2009-04-27 03:04:38


Pacemakers will not stop your natural death.

A pacemaker is a comfort tool – simplistically speaking it keeps your heart rate from going too slow.

The heart no longer responds to the pacemaker once a person dies.

The bottom line is that a pacemaker can help a sick heart to beat more effectively, but it cannot replace a sick heart or stop a natural death.

Our prayers are with you and your family.

God Bless

That is just crazy

by walkerd - 2009-04-27 07:04:31

Sounds to me the nephew needs a good ---whipen. Why anyone would say that to someone else is just cruellty and a bunch of hog wash. I dont even know how to respond to this post as I cant type the words Im wanting to say. Like stated above the pacemaker sends electric impulses to the heart to aid in its beating if the heart stopes like smitty says it wont respond to the pacemaker. As for the nurse saying that I would assume that the nephew made this up for some reason being a horses=== again, unless you witnessed the nurse saying this if so I would report her or him to the proper person at the hospital, if true such behaveor should and probably wouldnt be tolerated. or shouldnt. Good luck with this
dave

Here it is...

by LIVE_STRONG - 2009-04-29 12:04:28

First of all, I agree with the other post! How cruel for someone to tell her that!
And that Nurse should not be practicing!
I am a Paramedic. I have unfortunately lost patients for all sorts of reasons over the years.
I have lost a few with pacemakers. Once the heart stops, it stops!
Will I see a rhythm on the cardiac monitor? YES! And the first thing I do is check to see if I have a pulse, if I don't, it's the PM.
We still take all the same life saving measures we would for any patient. And HOPEFULLY the Pt. with a PM has an ID saying so! It does make a difference ....
If not, hopefully and almost always I will see "Spikes" on the monitor above the "R" interval letting me know that it's a paced hear rhythm.
I admit, I do take extra precautions to make sure what I am seeing is the PM, but thats because I never leave all the Diagnosis up to a machine....
I have seen what appears to be an NSR for a few minutes after I suspect cardiac or respiratory arrest...but thats it.
And it is supposed to be removed upon death....
Not a pleasant topic for me either...
But I hope this and the other post lay her fears to rest...
Holly

You know you're wired when...

You have a $50,000 chest.

Member Quotes

My pacemaker is the best thing that every happened to me, had I not got it I would not be here today.