Today's Query--% pacing??

Does having a pace maker reduce the heart's ability to beat as it would without the pace maker.  A common thought when members submit questions about 100% pacing.  My pacing went from 50% to 100% within 3 years after getting the pace maker and often wonder if the pace maker decreased  my hearts natural ability, albeit in periodic bradycardia and left bundle branch block..  What do you guys think or know about this potential effect??

                           Rodger

                                          

3 Comments

Heart beat

by TBrous&Chip - 2017-07-18 17:13:03

A pm does not limit the heart function during activity. I think the pm helps maintain the heart muscle by keeping the heart rate at the proper level. Since I already have a known electrical issue and have the pm it will always be unknown what my heart would be like without the pm.

Well yeah

by The real Patch - 2017-07-18 19:04:43

I mean if your heart wants to beat at 40bpm and you're paced at 60 then yeah it's limiting how your heart would beat without it? But I don't think that's really what you mean. Are you asking if a pacemaker causes you to require more and more pacing until you are 100% paced by the device? The answer is probably not. Yes some people have to be paced more and more over time, but I know a lot who've actually improved as well. As for 100% and left bundle branch block that's a different animal. Left Bundle Branch Block (LBBB) is where the right and left ventricles beat out of synch and as a result the ejection beat is not as strong so you pump out less blood. In my case my EF is now 15% and I'm paced in both ventricles 100%. Really the important fact is you are alive and your heart is pumping the blood your organs need to stay that way.

depends

by dwelch - 2017-07-19 11:22:54

depends on your condition, but I know in my case wth complete heart block the pacer is better for the heart even though they upped my limit.  the heart had to work harder because of the innefficient pacing, causing a thicker muscle wall and larger heart, all bad things.   Now as some may or may not know after 20-30 years of pacing there is another effect on the heart muscle, at 20 years they started watching and finally my EF got low enough to warrant a change, but now there are three lead pacers so instead of using a different V lead with a dual chamber they just added another V lead on the other side and now the ventricles are paced separately from a bi-ventrical pacer.  and ideally the heart will return to "normal" within so many months...

100% pacing is not something to worry about...not having a pacer is in that situation and that doesnt mean that you need to worry about your pacer failing or the battery dying, that is all well monitored and replaced in plenty of time.

 

 

 

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