Pacemaker Question

[F-One]

Doctor says my mom (on pacemaker for 2.5 years) is now pacemaker dependent. We assume that means her heart would stop without it. Otherwise, she's in pretty good shape for 84, living independently. She just had hip replacement and is currently in nursing home for rehab (should be discharged this coming week)

My question is: will the heart ever give out with a pacemaker? She is concerned about dementia or other issues that may put her in a nursing home for long term care.

 

[freebird5825]

I don't know the answer to your question. Is her cardiologist available to talk to by telephone?
In the meantime, American Heart Association has some good info,
Living With Your Pacemaker
as well as the Mayo CLinic
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/pacemaker/MY00276

 

[rkser]

Will the Heart ever give out with a Pacemaker ?

Pacemakers are quite common nowadays, as the average age increases.

Normally Pacemaker fires (causing a spike on a EKG) & in response the living heart muscle contracts(Heart Beat).

After death due to any cause, one can see the pacemaker spikes on the EKG, but no contractions(Dead tissue does not contract) hence no contractions, leading to no heart beat, so yes the heart does gives out with a pacemaker.

Hope this helps in the understanding of pacemaker function.

 

[F-One]

Thanks for the links and info

 

[jug]

Doctor says my mom (on pacemaker for 2.5 years) is now pacemaker dependent. We assume that means her heart would stop without it. Otherwise, she's in pretty good shape for 84, living independently. She just had hip replacement and is currently in nursing home for rehab (should be discharged this coming week)

My question is: will the heart ever give out with a pacemaker? She is concerned about dementia or other issues that may put her in a nursing home for long term care.

FWIW, Father in law had one put in about 10 years ago. He is 95 now. In his case the low was low, at 25 beats per minute. Pacemaker corrected that. He had a battery put in about a year ago, simple procedure, outpatient, like having minor surgery.

Now he has busted pelvis, is in nursing home, and problems from busted pelvis is what is affecting him. Seems pacemaker is fine, but everything around it can break down.

So if you are concerned with reliability, they work ok. Can the heart fail? Of course it can, since other factors at that age can deteriorate in the heart, but that is the normal course of aging, we gradually fail.

jug

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

A pacemaker reduces the risk that the conduction system of the heart will cause a dangerously low heart rate, leading to low blood pressure and eventually death. When it senses a low rate, it kicks in with an impulse that replaces that of the normal heart. There are other reasons for a pacemaker, too, but in most cases it is used to treat heart block or other conditions leading to a dangerously slow rate.

Unfortunately, in a heart that is affected by coronary disease, valve problems or any number of unrelated conditions a pacemaker will not be beneficial -- it requres a reasonably healthy heart to do its job.

Glad your mom is doing well.