Did you know?
BUT SEX CAN SAVE YOUR HEART, TOO
Men who have sex twice a week or more appear less likely to develop heart disease than those get busy once a month or less, according to a study in the American Journal of Cardiology.
Pacemaker Clinic
A pacemaker is a medical device used to maintain adequate heart rate most commonly when that heart’s natural pacemaker is not fast enough by sending electrical impulses to the electrodes to contract the heart muscles. Modern pacemakers are externally programmable and allow the cardiologist to select the optimum pacing modes for individual patients.
Our clinic provides evaluation and ongoing follow-up for patients with implanted pacemakers and defibrillators to monitor the life of the device and ensures that each device works properly. We help our patients regularly monitor the battery life of their pacemaker to ensure it keeps working well as long as possible.

01.
Preparation
Several tests may be conducted to find out the cause of the patient’s irregular heartbeat before the doctor can decide if the patient requires a pacemaker. This test includes an electrocardiogram, holter monitoring, echocardiogram, and exercise stress test.
02.
Procedure
Surgery to implant the pacemaker is usually performed while the patient is awake and typically takes a few hours. During surgery, one or more flexible, insulated wires (leads, or electrodes) are inserted into a major vein under or near the patient’s collarbone and guided to the heart with the help of X-ray images. One end of each wire is secured to the appropriate position in the patient’s heart, while the other end is attached to the pulse generator, which is usually implanted under the skin beneath the collarbone.
03.
Results
The pacemarkers battery life should last 5 to 15 years — the average pacemaker’s battery life — after the pacemaker is implanted. When a pacemaker’s battery wears out, the pacemaker’s pulse generator is replaced. The leads of the patient’s pacemaker can be left in place — though they may need to be replaced eventually — and the procedure to change the pacemaker’s battery is often faster and requires less recovery time than the first procedure to implant the pacemaker.

Pacemaker Clinic
Precaution should be taken by the patient during the first few weeks after the surgery. It is recommended to leave incision uncovered. A dry dressing may be applied if there is oozing from the site. It is normal to have a small amount of bruising at the site.
There may be slight soreness around the incision site. If required, pain medication may be taken to relieve this discomfort. Seek medical assistance if the patient has a large amount of bruising or develop a hard lump on or near the incision. Notify the doctor immediately if the patient’s incision becomes red, hot, more painful, swollen or begins to drain fluid. These symptoms, along with a fever, could indicate an infection. The patient may shower and gently pat dry your incision. Be careful not to get the stitches caught in the towel (or any other material).
The patient will be instructed to make an appointment with the doctor or with the surgeon for suture removal within 10-14 days. In the four weeks following the patient’s implant, it is required to avoid any sudden, jerky movements of the arms, stretching or reaching over the head, or circular type movements involving the shoulder. Most patients may resume regular activities in 4 weeks, though it is good to discuss with the patient’s cardiologist regarding the activities that are safe for the patient.
Understanding you heart
Six Important Things About Your Heart
