Pacing percentage

Just had my pacemaker checked, she said it is pacing 99% of the
time in lower ventricle. This was scary to me. Does this mean the battery will run down sooner? Also, what about when they have to replace it, worried my heart won't work without it.

6 Comments

pacing

by Tracey_E - 2013-08-22 08:08:14

Do you have av block? Most of us with av block pace every beat we take, it's normal! It doesn't necessarily mean the battery will run down sooner. Battery life is partially how much we pace but also the extra bells and whistles we use, the voltage needed to get the signal through, the safety margins and a number of other things.

When they replace it, the amount of time not being paced is miniscule. They get the new one ready to go so they hook it up within seconds of unhooking the old one. They will check your underlying rate first so they know what they're dealing with, see how fast you go on your own without pacing. Pacing every beat just means your heart isn't' beating fast enough on its own, it doesn't mean it's not beating. If the underlying rate is too low, they can do a temporary pacemaker (inserted from groin) during surgery. Mine has always been high enough that they just used an external pm (big pads on chest and back). Nothing to it!!! I also pace 99%+ and I'm on my 4th now.

Thanks

by Viva - 2013-08-22 09:08:38

I can't thank you enough for your response, gives me peace of mind. It is good to hear from someone who has gone through the same thing. I had a third degree heart block.

3rd degree block

by Tracey_E - 2013-08-23 01:08:32

That's what I have also. I got my first one in 1994 and still feel terrific. If we have to have a heart condition, it's a good one to have, very simple fix with the pm. There's nothing I want to do that I cannot.

overcome av block

by pacerlily - 2013-08-25 09:08:01

Thanks Tracey!

Since you have the pm for almost 20 years, i just ask you about the setting suitable for me. I have right bundle branch block, that is not a concern for heart function. My pm is for the potential complete heart block. What is the setting to ensure pm kickin in case i experience a complete heart block.

settings

by Tracey_E - 2013-08-26 11:08:40

We all vary on the settings that work best for us. If you feel good and can do what you want, assume your settings are good!

If you are pacing 100%, it sounds like you are in complete block. I don't think the pm differentiates between the different causes of CHB. It just watches. If the atria beats and the ventricle does not within a programmed amount of time, it kicks in with a ventricular beat. It always gives the heart a chance to beat on its own first.

They can tinker with the timing to give the heart more time to beat on its own and reduce pacing, but for us that usually doesn't make much difference. We will still pace every beat.

The most common setting members here have changed is the upper limit. They usually start us at 120 or 130, so that means it will only pace that high. If we are active, our atrial rate may go higher than that during exercise and the heart gets out of sync. You can feel it pretty quickly when this happens! Instantly super tired and dizzy. I usually get up to 160 or so when I work out so my upper limit is set at 175. You'll know it if this happens to you. If it does, just make a note of the date and time and ask them to check it. It's an easy fix.

more on settings

by Tracey_E - 2013-08-26 11:08:57

I just saw your post in the other comments. Lower limit is more for atrial pacing, it rarely affects anyone with av block. Odds are you don't pace atrial at all. Your problem is the signal not getting from the atria to the ventricles, not the atria going too slowly. Your SA node, the natural pacemaker which is in the atria, works just fine. So if your ATRIAL rate were to drop below 45, the pm would kick in. But I'd be willing to bet it doesn't even go below 60. All the pm does for you is make sure the ventricles stay in sync with the atria.

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