If you have Atrial Fibrillation (A-fib), it means something’s
not right with the electrical signals that trigger your heartbeat. The four
chambers inside your ticker get out of sync as they pump the blood. Consult
with your healthcare provider who may use prescription drugs or a medical
procedure to try to make your ticker beat regularly or slow down a fast rhythm.
Contrarily, if you have AFib and your ticker is beating too slowly, along with
other treatment your doctor may recommend a pacemaker which sends out
electrical pulses that take the place of the mixed-up ones, so your heart beats
at the right pace. Pacemaker may also be required for individuals who have AFib
and congestive heart failure (CHF) which is when your heart can’t pump enough
blood to the rest of your body the way it should.
Undergoing training in the life-saving CPR procedure can help
you save the life of a victim involved in serious cardiac emergencies like a
cardiac arrest. Select a certified training site for acquiring training, such
as CPR Indianapolis which is an American Heart Association certified training
site. CPR courses for both healthcare and non-healthcare providers are offered.
Learn more about a “BLS class Indianapolis”:
Basic Life
Support Classes- In the program, you’ll learn CPR skills
and Basic Life Support for Adults, Infants and Children including giving proper
chest compressions, rescue breathing, operating an Automated External
Defibrillator (AED) device, choking and much more. This CPR class satisfies
nursing students, medical students, dental students, paramedics, EMTs, physical
therapy students and all other healthcare providers and employees in any
medical field.
Let us get back to the significance of pacemakers for
individuals with Atrial Fibrillation.
Atrioventricular
(AV) Node Ablation- Doctors recommend this procedure when medication or
other treatments haven’t worked, the procedure stops the irregular
electrical pulses from getting to your heart’s two lower chambers, called the
ventricles. The procedure involves a doctor putting a thin tube called a
catheter into the ticker which fires off intense radio waves, and the heat destroys
the small area that carries the signals to the ventricles. That area is called
the AV node. Your ticker’s natural electrical system afterwards becomes incapable
of triggering the ventricles, so your surgeon will put in a pacemaker to tell
the ventricles when it’s time to pump.
Your heart’s two upper chambers, called the atria, will still
have AFib even with this treatment that can unfortunately raise your chances of
a stroke, because your blood may form clots that could travel to your brain.
You’ll probably be prescribed a blood thinner to keep the blood from clotting.
Sick Sinus
Syndrome- Going by the name, you may feel the condition has something
to do with the sinuses in your head, but it isn’t the case. The name refers to
a small part of your ticker called the sinus node- your heart’s natural
pacemaker that generates the electrical impulses that tell your ticker to beat.
Your heartbeat can be too fast (tachycardia), too slow (bradycardia), or
irregular (arrhythmia) when the sinus node fires off the signals at the wrong
place which can lead to abnormal heart rhythms, including Atrial Fibrillation.
Individuals who have sick sinus syndrome
need a pacemaker with a double chamber
pacemaker being the most appropriate one that sends signals to two of your
ticker’s four chambers, instructing them when to pump.
A minor surgery is conducted where the doctor puts the
pacemaker under your skin near your collarbone.
Living With
A Pacemaker:
When
you have a pacemaker, it is important that you keep track of your heart rate
which your doctor will guide you on, take all your medications on schedule,
stay active and don’t put pressure on the part of your chest where the
pacemaker is. At the same time, watch for any signs that your pacemaker isn’t
working right. Immediately call your doctor if your ankles swell. Dial 911 if
you have a hard time breathing, are dizzy, or if you fainted.
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