A pacemaker is a small internal device that helps regulate a patient's heart rate. This battery operated pacing system is implanted beneath a patient's collarbone where it sends regular electrical impulses to the heart to initiate heart muscle...
A pacemaker assists in regulating a person's heart rhythm and electrical output. The small device lies under the collarbone and is about the size of two half dollars stacked together. Implanting the device takes several hours in the operating...
A diagnostic procedure called cardiac catheterization may be used to evaluate certain patients for heart defects, damage or disease. Despite the beneficial aspects of this procedure, cardiac catheterization may not be appropriate for all patients....
Ascites, the accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity, causes symptoms that include difficulty breathing due to pressure on the lungs, loss of appetite because of pressure on the stomach and abdominal swelling. Many diseases and conditions...
Pacemaker warning signs can alert a pacemaker patient to the potential complications or failure of his cardiac device. Pacemakers are small electronic mechanisms that surgeons implant into the upper chest of some cardiac patients. The devices can...
Pacemakers save many lives, but they do have their limitations. Medical experts advise people with pacemakers to avoid contact sports and certain exercises to keep the pacemaker functioning properly. Swimmers may wonder if that restriction also...
According to The Mayo Clinic, individuals who donate bone marrow undergo a brief operation in which the bone marrow is harvested from the pelvic bones. The National Marrow Donor Program has set forth specific guidelines to indicate who is eligible...
Pacemakers are inserted to help regulate the heart’s electrical system. If the heart rate is too slow patients can experience dizziness, trouble breathing and can even black out; in extreme cases, their heart can stop. A pacemaker...
If the heart is unable to maintain a regular rhythm, symptoms may occur. A normal heart rate or pulse is between 60 to 80 beats per minute. However, many medical conditions can make the heart beat too slow, too fast, skip beats or stop...
Surgery to implant a pacemaker, a small device that helps regulate the heartbeat, is a relatively minor procedure that causes complications in fewer than 5 percent of patients, according to MayoClinic.com. Pacemakers are safely implanted in older...
According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, the first step is threading the pacemaker wires through a vein near your shoulder or chest. A small incision is made to locate the vein. The wires are fed through and attached to the heart...
A pacemaker is a medical device that is implanted in the chest and connected to the heart to help control irregular heartbeats, according to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. Different types of pacemakers treat different kinds of heart...
Special cells in the heart are in charge of controlling the heart rate. These cells receive stimulation from the various nerves within the body and regulate how fast the heart beats. In some cases, these specialized cells are unable to perform...
If the heart is unable to maintain a regular rhythm, a pacemaker may be required. As with any type of surgery, there are risks that need to be considered along with the benefits of having the procedure done. The first step is to understand how a...
A pacemaker is implanted into the chest or abdomen to treat abnormal heart rhythms, or arrhythmias. Arrhythmias cause the heart to beat too fast, too slow or irregularly, according to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. Arrhythmias can...
A pacemaker is a small device that's placed in the abdomen or chest to control abnormal heart rhythms. According to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, a pacemaker allows someone with an arrhythmia to resume a normal, active lifestyle. It...
A heart block can be acquired, that is, developed after birth; or, less commonly, people are born with a heart block. Heart block is a condition in which the electrical signals between the atria and ventricles of the heart are compromised. There...
Magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, is a noninvasive device used for evaluation, assessment and diagnosis of conditions, diseases and injuries. An MRI generates images of the brain and spine from multiple angles, and it also can provide pictures...
Heart disease is distinguished from heart problems in the duration of the presenting condition, pathology of the condition and persistence of dysfunction created by the condition. The distinction of disease versus problem is broad, but can be...
Congestive heart failure is an acute condition wherein the heart cannot supply the organs of the body with sufficient amounts of blood. According to the American Heart Association, it can be brought on by narrowed arteries, scar tissue that...
Congestive heart failure, or CHF, affects 5 million Americans and is responsible for 300,000 deaths a year. The condition occurs when the heart can no longer pump blood efficiently through the body. Causes of the condition include damage to the...
Congestive heart failure, or CHF, affects almost 5 million people in the United States, according to the American Heart Association. It is more common in older people, but can even affect children. CHF is a serious disease for which there is no...
