Pacemaker and CRT-D: 2 Powerful heart devices

Introduction

A pacemaker or pacer is a small, battery-powered device that stops the heart from beating too steadily. You require operative surgery to get a pacemaker(PPM) or pacer. The device is put under the skin near the collarbone.

The heart can beat too fast, slow, or irregularly during an arrhythmia. PPM send electrical pulses to assist your heartbeat at an average rate and rhythm. They also help your heart chambers beat in sync, so your heart may pump blood more efficiently to your body. Cardiac resynchronization therapy with a defibrillator (CRT-D). This combination device uses a PPM & an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD). It can be proposed for people with heart failure who also have a risk of rapid cardiac death. It may find dangerous heart rhythms & correct them.

Pacemaker machine and CRT D

Pacemaker machine and CRT D

Pacemakers send electrical pulses to assist the heartbeat at an average rate and rhythm. They can also assist or help the heart chambers beat in sync so the heart can pump blood more adeptly to the body. It may be needed if you have heart failure.

CRT D is an implantable or inculcated cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) defibrillator for people or patients with heart failure. The machine monitors the heart’s rhythm, detects irregularities & corrects them with electrical impulses.

Micra pacemaker

Micra is the world’s smallest PPM. Unlike most PPMs, which are placed or put down in a patient’s chest and have leads flowing to the heart, Micra is a leadless PPM because it’s implanted or inserted directly into the heart.

Micra is a single-chamber PPM about the size of a vitamin. It can be implanted directly into the heart, eliminating the requirement for the leads to be implanted. The minimally invasive process allows electrophysiologists to implant the PPM between a catheter in the leg, so no chest incision is needed.

Pacemaker of heart

Pacemaker of heart

Your heart’s sinus node is your inborn or natural pacemaker (found in the heart’s upper right chamber, known as the atrium). It sent an electrical impulse to make your heartbeat. If it’s not working correctly, a PPM artificially takes over the role of your sinus node.

Pacemaker surgery and age limit

Many PPM are surgically implanted under the skin of the chest. The procedure to implant a PPM is minor surgery. It can usually or typically be done using local anaesthesia. Your doctor will make a small incision in your chest wall just below your collarbone. Avoid strenuous activities or exercise for around 4 to 6 weeks after your PPM is equipped. After this, you should be able to do most activities and sports.

A pacemaker is a small electronic device that assists keep the heart beating regularly. It can be a life-changing treatment for heart conditions such as arrhythmias. Although it is generally not too dangerous, there may be some risks.

PPM can be fitted in people of any age, including children, but are most often in the over-60s.

CRT – D Surgery and age limit

CRT – D Surgery and age limit

Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is a behaviour for people with heart failure. It assists the heart chambers in squeezing more efficiently and organizedly, helping the heart pump blood to the body more effectively.

The CRT-D is an implantable or inculcated cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) defibrillator for patients or people with heart failure or heart difficulties.

The machine or device monitors the heart’s rhythm, detects irregularities & corrects them with electrical impulses. Like an implantable or inculcated defibrillator (ICD), a CRT-D stops life-threatening ventricular tachycardia & fibrillation with relatively weak & painless stimulation therapy or electrical shocks. CRT-Ds vary from ICDs in that they assist your heart’s lower or bottom chambers – the ventricles – work in tandem. To do this, CRT-Ds have 3 leads – wires that bring energy to the heart – rather than one or two, as in an ICD.

Implanting a CRT-D is relatively simple and usually lasts two to four hours. It is not open-heart surgery. Antibiotics will reduce the risk of infection. The intervention will be performed under local anaesthesia and sometimes short-term sedation or intense matches.

After preparing the incision site, the surgeon or surgical expert will make a small cut in the upper chest, well below your shoulder or collar bond. The surgeon or doctor will insert three leads into a central vein near the collarbone or under the shoulder.

Using X-ray for visibility, the surgeon or surgical expert will guide the leads or conduct through the veins & place them in your heart’s upper & lower chambers. Then, the doctor will implant the CRT-D in a pocket created at the incision or cut beneath the skin. The surgeon will attach the leads to the defibrillator and program it to the specific medical needs. After a test to ensure the CRT-D works correctly, the surgical expert will close the incision with a few stitches.

Survival rates were higher among patients undergoing CRT-D implantation compared with ICD implantation in the older cohorts (ages 75-84 and ≥85) but not in the younger cohort (ages 65-74)

Is pacemaker surgery dangerous?

Enchanting a PPM is a safe procedure with a low risk of complications or difficulties. The biggest concern is that the PPM cannot control the heartbeat because it malfunctions or the wire moves out of the correct position.

What heart conditions require a pacemaker

What heart conditions require a pacemaker

PPM are used to treat certain arrhythmias and heart failure, a condition that happen when the heart cannot pump enough blood to the body.

What is the longest or long-lasting someone has lived with a pacemaker

The average life increases between 8.5 and 20 years, depending on overall health, age, and lifestyle. All subgroups of women had significantly longer survival times than men.

Pacemaker VS CRT -D

Pacemaker VS CRT -D

To “resynchronize” contractions and improve the heart’s pumping efficiency, CRT uses three leads, one each going into the right atria, right ventricle, and left ventricle. Unlike a traditional PPM, which only treats the right ventricle, this PPM is usually implanted just below the collarbone.

wandering atrial pacemaker

When you have a wandering atrial PPM, command or control of your heartbeat shifts from your SA node to another parts of the atria, the two upper chambers of the heart. When that happens, and the heart continues to beat usually, you have a wandering atrial pacemaker.

CRT – D Device

A CRT-D is an implantable or inculcated cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) defibrillator for sufferers or patients with heart failure or heart issues.

The device or machine monitors the heart’s rhythm, detects irregularities, and rectifies them with electrical impulses. Like an implantable defibrillator (ICD), a CRT-D stops or finishes life-threatening ventricular tachycardia & fibrillation with relatively weak electric shock or painless stimulation therapy.

CRT uses 3 leads, one each going into the right ventricle, right ventricle and left ventricle

CRT – P vs CRT -D

  • Cardiac resynchronization therapy with a pacemaker (CRT-P).

This device is for people with certain heart failure stages and irregular heart signalling. It sends signals that make the lower heart chambers beat simultaneously, helping the heart fill with blood appropriately.

  • Cardiac resynchronization therapy with a defibrillator (CRT-D).

This combination machine or device uses a pacemaker and an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD). It may be recommended for people with heart failure or heart issues who also have a risk of sudden cardiac death. The machine can find dangerous heart rhythms and correct them, pace the heartbeat, or shock the heart out of a dangerous heart rhythm.

living with CRT -D

In a CRT pacemaker, an additional lead is placed on the left side of the heart to make the left ventricle beat simultaneously with the right. It can restore the heart’s coordination and make the heart pump more efficiently, potentially helping you feel less breathless and have more energy.

Pacemaker for Afib

Atrial fibrillation (Afib) is an irregular or non-uniform heart rhythm or pattern that begins in the heart’s upper chambers (atria). Symptoms include fatigue, heart palpitations, trouble breathing, and dizziness. Afib is one of the most common arrhythmias. Risk factors contain high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, and obesity.

If you have AFib and your heart is beating too slowly or steadily, your doctor may recommend a PPM along with other treatments. It sends out electrical pulses that replace the mixed-up ones so the heart beats at the right pace.

Cost of CRT – D and Pacemaker

The cost of CRT-D for Indian patients is between INR 7.55 and 10.6 lakh, depending on the hospital and the facility. The cost of a CRT-D (Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy Defibrillator) Implant in India may be slightly higher in private hospitals than in government-run hospitals.

The pacemaker machine costs between Rs. 45,000 and Rs. 1,50,000. However, the prices may vary depending on the hospitals in different cities.

Some Things can’t be done with pacemakers and CRT-D.

You may live an active & fulfilling life with a PPM and CRT-D, but there are some things to keep away when you have a PPM. Strong magnets or power generators can cause electromagnetic interference.

  • Metal detectors: Metal detectors may interfere with your pacemaker. Avoid or keep away from using one unless you have checked with the cardiology team.
  • Electromagnetic fields:  Arc welding, power generators, close contact with car-ignition systems, diathermy, and high-power radio or TV transmitters generate strong electromagnetic fields.

Conclusion

In conclusion, a pacemaker or pacer is a small, battery-powered device that stops the heart from beating too steadily. It is implanted under the skin near the collarbone and requires operative surgery.

The heart can beat too fast, slow, or irregularly during an arrhythmia. Pacemakers send electrical pulses to assist your heartbeat at an average rate and rhythm. They also help your heart chambers beat in sync, so your heart may pump blood more efficiently to your body. Cardiac resynchronization therapy with a defibrillator (CRT-D). This combination device uses a pacemaker & an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD). It can be proposed for people with heart failure who also have a risk of rapid cardiac death. It may find dangerous heart rhythms & correct them.