Pacemaker Dependent?

Ok, not to sound ignorant here, but on Feb. 10th I had my AV node ablated and was fitted with a Medtronics Adapta DR01 dual chamber pacer (with two leads). Am I now PM dependent? If this thing conks out, am I toast? I mean, I know that our lives depend on machines all the time without us thinking about it (planes, autos, etc.), but I want to know how vigilant I need to be about protecting my new machine from all enemies foreign and domestic.
Thanks in advance for your answers and comments!

5 Comments

uh huh

by BillMFl - 2009-02-25 11:02:36

You are definitely PM dependent. So take good care of it. They will moniter it on a regular basis and replace it long before the battery gives out. Just use reasonable care in the activity you choose. Like give up tackle football and rugby!

Residual Pacing

by pete - 2009-02-26 02:02:02

Yes is the short answer. You are 100% dependant.
But, the majority of patients who have an AV node ablation develop within a short time residual pacing . otherwise known as an escape rhythym which will be enough to keep you out of danger for some time. I have had my AV node ablation for 2 years and I am in a minority. I have not developed an escape rhythym. The pacing technicians turned my pacemaker off to see what my heart would do. It just stopped and that was that - no beating of the right or left ventricle.Not one single twitch !!! I am not thrilled with this situation, to put it mildly as when I have my pacemaker replaced in 5 years time I rekon I will be going through a hgh risk proceedure. You should ask your pacing technicians to carry out a residual pacing check to see if you have any. The likelyhood is that you will. Good Luck Peter

yes, but

by Tracey_E - 2009-02-26 07:02:26

Ditto what the others said about residual pacing. I've been completely dependent on a pm for 15 yrs now and I honestly rarely give it a thought. With time, you'll come to realize these things are incredibly dependable, more so than our naturally screwy hearts that needed the pm to begin with. They don't suddenly die when the battery gets low. They have a back up function for the very (very very) rare event they malfunction that will keep you at a steady hr around 60 until it can be fixed. As Frank said, you may not feel great but you'd live long enough to get it fixed. Just be diligent about your check ups. You can always ask when you have it checked how long the battery will last, it tells them. The confidence comes with time. Many of us are dependent for various reasons, and we live active healthy lives.

Hey Pete

by BillMFl - 2009-02-26 08:02:40

Your replacement in 5 years won't be risky. They shave several areas (for me it was right thigh and left chest if I remember right) and install very large pads with electrodes that are used for an external pacemaker if needed during the procedure. So while they are replacing your old unit, you can be paced externally.

Meaning of dependent

by ElectricFrank - 2009-02-26 12:02:01

If the pacemaker quits you will definitely have some difficulties. It doesn't necessarily mean your heart will stop. The ventricles have what is called the Escape Rhythm which operates independently of the atrial rhythm. This usually produces a HR in the range of 25-40BPM, which is enough to keep you alive and possibly conscious. In my case I was down to 26 BPM the night before my implant and I could still stand up without passing out. I just felt lousy.

This can be tested during a pacemaker checkup although most people and doctors don't like to do it. The Medtronics programmer has a function where the person conducting the test can stop pacing by holding down a key on the computer. Pacing resumes as soon as it is released. So the test just involves stopping pacing for 5-15 seconds and measuring the heart rate. The only reason for not doing the test is if the patient has a risky rhythm problem where stopping pacing might induce something risky.

So it is very likely that you would survive a failure of the pacer and could get to a hospital. The more likely risk would be passing out in some potentially risky situation, but we all have that possibility.

best,k

frank

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