In 1974, the first pacemaker in western Kentucky was implanted at Western Baptist Hospital. Since then, physicians at Baptist have been implanting pacemakers to help people with irregular heart beats or other heart rhythm problems. Early on, the procedure often involved open-heart surgery, but currently your cardiologist can implant most pacemakers without major surgery. The team of cardiologists at Western Baptist implants more pacemakers than at any other hospital in the region.

A pacemaker is a small, battery-powered device that helps the heart by improving its cardiac rhythm. It can replace a defective natural pacemaker (the sinoartrial or SA node, or atrial ventricular or AV node).

Why would you need a pacemaker?

• Your heart beats too slow or too fast.
• Your heart doesn’t beat regularly.
• There’s a block in your heart’s electrical pathways.

You may need a pacemaker to keep your heart contracting and pumping blood adequately. In this way your body gets the blood, oxygen and nutrients it needs. Some people just need a pacemaker for a short time (such as following a heart attack) and may use a kind that’s outside the skin (temporary pacemaker). Others need one permanently placed just under the skin on the chest to keep their hearts beating normally.

How does a pacemaker work?

A pacemaker typically uses lithium batteries to send electric impulses to the heart muscle to stimulate it to contract and pump correctly. It’s connected to the heart by one or more wires. Tiny electric charges you can’t feel move through the wire to the heart. Pacemakers work only when needed; they activate when your heartbeat is too slow, too fast or irregular.

How can you live with a pacemaker? What should you avoid?

Microwave ovens, electric blankets, remote controls and other common household appliances won’t affect your pacemaker. Following these tips can help ensure safety with a pacemaker:
• Stay at least two feet away from welding activities, electronic ignitions in operation and related activities.
• When carrying a cell phone or related device, keep it at least six inches away from your pacemaker. (For example, don’t carry your phone in your breast pocket over your pacemaker.)
• Tell your doctors and dentists you have a pacemaker; some medical equipment may affect the device.
• Tell airport security you have a pacemaker.
• Follow your doctor’s recommendations for use including taking all prescribed medication, charting your pulse and keeping follow-up appointments to check your pacemaker. Report side effects to your doctor.

How can I learn more?

To learn more about the risk factors, symptoms and treatment for heart disease, visit westernbaptist.com/heart. You can take a free, five-minute online heart risk survey and become eligible for reduced-cost cardiac screenings at Baptist Prime Care. You also may phone Baptist Health Line at (270) 575-2918.

Today’s HeartBeat was inspired by a question from reader Dale Faughn of Fredonia.

Send your questions!

Do you have a cardiac question tugging at your heart? Send it to heartbeat@bhsi.com or mail it to HeartBeat, 2501 Kentucky Ave., Paducah, KY 42003. If we use it in a future HeartBeat column, you will win a Baptist Heart Center T-shirt.