Medtronic Consulta CRT-p replacement

My CRT-p was implanted in 2013 and is coming to the end of it life, will need to be replaced next year. My question is do they still make them or is there a new and improved model to change to.  I have heart failure and afib and am currently 100% paced with this machine. I frequently have problems with walking hills & stairs and they have never found a program to solve the issue.
Does anyone have a crt-p that works for someone with an active lifestyle..

Thanks for any input.

5 Comments

CRT-P

by AgentX86 - 2022-07-30 20:45:10

There really isn't anything special about CRT pacemakers, other than they promote a more natural left/right synchronization.  Yes, they certainly do make them. They're always improving pacemakers.

Steep hills and stairs are a problem with Medtronic pacemakers.  Medtronic uses only an accelerometer to measure activity, then adjust heart rate accordingly. It's not a perfect system because this adjustment is usually set for walking or running, where the footfalls are a decent measure of oxygen usage.

Stairs and steep hills require more oxygen than walking on the flats but the accelerometer doesn't see the additional need.  Biotronic has what they call "CLS" that tries to measure minute respiration (breathing) as an input to guess at oxygen need. For some, this works really well. For others it's not so great and it's turned off.

You can ask about a different pacemaker but it doesn't guarantee that you can get that sort.

CRT-P

by Lavender - 2022-07-30 21:35:56

I received a Boston Scientific CRT-P last February.  So, yep, they're still utilizing them. I have no issues with stairs or steep hills. I realize we have different hearts and issues though. I'm 100% paced with complete heart block. 

Medtronic Improvements

by IAN MC - 2022-07-31 06:01:42

Hello Anne

I don't have a CRT but was fitted with a replacement Medtronics dual-chamber PM on Friday.  I am  very impressed by the ongoing improvements :-

- Whilst my old one did well  and lasted 11 yrs, I was told to expect 20 yrs battery-life from the new one

- The new one is slightly bigger  because it has bluetooth capability but this enables it to communicate via a smart-phone app

-  This means that I will only need face-to-face check-ups every 2 yrs

Pacemaker technology is certainly improving all the time

Best of luck

Ian

CRT-P

by Aberdeen - 2022-07-31 15:08:27

I have a CRT-P pacemaker and I am 100% paced. Originally my lowest setting was 60bpm but now it's 70bpm. I have no problems with stairs or steep inclines.

What is your lowest setting? 
Good luck and I hope you get an answer to your problem.

CRT-P

by Anne53 - 2022-08-14 02:01:08

My daytime setting is 70-150 and night the low range is 60.

 

You know you're wired when...

You have a maintenance schedule just like your car.

Member Quotes

The pacer systems are really very reliable. The main problem is the incompetent programming of them. If yours is working well for you, get on with life and enjoy it. You probably are more at risk of problems with a valve job than the pacer.