differences in PMs

Is there a difference between a PM used for tachy-brady and one used for heart block or is it just a mater of adjustment?

6 Comments

Are PM's different

by donr - 2014-05-03 11:05:55

Medtronic makes about 35 different models of PM. Each has specific properties & capabilities.

Check out the link below for a listing of them all, plus their capabilities.

http://www.medtronicfeatures.com/browse-features/device-model/index.htm#drawer_27

Donr

I'm New But . . .

by NiceNiecey - 2014-05-03 12:05:24

A PM is basically to keep one's heart from beating too slowly. Tachycardia is obviously beating too fast and you wouldn't need a PM if you had only tachycardia. So, a PM is warranted if a patient has a very slow heart rate (bradycardia). It is also warranted if a patient has 2nd or 3rd degree (complete) heart block since the communication between the atria and ventricles isn't getting through.

I hope that made sense.
Niecey

pm's

by Tracey_E - 2014-05-04 09:05:15

Your dr will recommend what's best for you. This recommendation is often influenced by your doc's relationship with the various manufacturers reps as well as what contracts the hospital has. Once the manufacturer is determined, they'll pick the model that works best for you. All of them will fix a slow heart so there are no bad choices.

Imo, the dr's relationship with the rep and the dr's knowledge of what is chosen for you are the most important. The pm is only as good as the programming, so you want someone programming it who knows it inside and out. Doesn't much matter who makes it.

The exception to that would be rate response, which is the feature that raises your rate for you on exertion if your rate doesn't go up on its own. Some of them use motion, some of them sense motion as well as faster breathing. If you will be depending on rate response, you will do better with one that has the more sophisticated sensors.

Other differences include mri-compatible and upper limits. Your job is to convey to your dr what your lifestyle is, then your dr is in the best position to choose the right pm for you.

Pacemakers

by Kluge - 2014-05-05 02:05:20

Perhaps my question was poorly asked so I will elaborate.

I have previously been diagnosed as having heart block and tachy-brady but I have been told that a pacemaker to be installed tomorrow is solely intended to treat tachy-brady. The heart block may not require treatment now but I was wondering if it did need treatment in the future if the pacemaker could be reprogramed or if it will need to be replaced.

No, I am not shopping for a pacemaker. My cardiologist and PM provider has or will decide what is approbate for me.

Yes, I know that pacemakers do not treat tachycardia but medication for tachycardia caused the bradycardia. The pacemaker is to allow a more aggressive treatment of the tachycardia.

Yes, I could have asked my cardiologist and I will but when I joined Pacemakerclub I was under the impression that this is a place to seek and exchange information and in general support each other.

Thank you to those that commented.

The first thing ....

by donr - 2014-05-05 09:05:19

....my EP's nurse did when she came for a 1 hour visit when I was in the hosp for my PM was hand me a PM to play with. She visited all his patients & had long orientations for them.

You are right - it was very helpful. She did not even know I was an EE Geek who would have asked to see it anyway.

You'd think they would offer such an orientation to everyone & let them chose whether or not they want to hear it - but the don't. To me that's the first step in treating the patient's head which is more important that treating the body.

Napoleon said it in about 1806 - "In battle, the mental is to the physical as three is to one." Also true in things cardiac.

Donr

block

by Tracey_E - 2014-05-06 10:05:00

The pm (any pm!) will automatically treat the heart block. If the atria beats and the ventricles don't follow, it will kick in with pacing. Tachy/brady is tricky because the pm fixes the brady while meds fix the tachy. Block, on the other hand, is the easiest fix of any problem fixed with a pm. All the pm does is complete the broken circuit.

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