Improved understanding....

• by andyuk
• 2010-09-01 10:09:35
• Checkups & Settings
• 1446 views
• 1 comments

Had my PM fitted 24th June 10 for 2nd degree HB (insufficient beats relayed from atrium to ventricle). Post-op, I felt much better, have recovered fully & been very active with my hobby (classic cars), lifting engines, fitted a tow bar, etc. I noticed I was still a little SOB walking up steep hills and mentioned this at my 2 month check-up. The physiologist said my heart had raised my rate to 130 bpm on several occasions, but when I pursued the issue further, arranged for me to wear a 24 hour HR monitor & keep a diary of time I walked up hills, etc.
I went for the follow-up appt today.
Saw a different physiologist who explained that my atrium is indeed responding to exercise by increasing rate, but the upper limit on my PM for ventricular pacing was set to 130 bpm. Hence the reason my rate reached 130 bpm on a number of occasions - it was being limited by the PM, as its setting prevented it from keeping up with my natural pacemaker. The physiologist has reset the PM's upper limit to 170 to enable the ventricle to pass on all those beats my atrium is naturally producing during exercise.
Interestingly, on a treadmill test prior to the PM being fitted my rate peaked at 78, according to the display on the screen so I would assume that this was the BPM from the ventricle (which is apparently the beat you feel when you take your pulse at your wrist). This would fit with the Cardio telling me prior to fitting PM that only every other beat was getting relayed from atrium to ventricle.
Hope this makes sense and may help others in a similar situation.
Andrew