Biotronik PM Edora 8 DR-T

Technician

by AgentX86 - 2021-01-14 22:01:22

You really don't find a technician who does this optimization.  PM technicians work for EPs, cardiologists, or hospitals.  They don't operate independently, at least in the US.  Their primary job is to set your pacemaker up as your EP wants it.  They can do some "minor" optimizations, if the EP allows it, but the big stuff needs direction from the EP.  Even the changes they can make has to be approved by an EP, who really gives them the latitude to do any modifications.  The doctor is responsible for the whole process and the results.

For instance, my device tech can do things like adjust the RR sensitivity parameters and set my clock and night rate times. She cannot set heart rates for RR or day/night without direction from my EP. I have to argue with my EP if I want any of that changed.  After the session an EP (not usually mine) signs off on the settings (and charges my insurance company ;-).

PMs don't improve your athletic performance

by crustyg - 2021-01-15 05:24:02

As Agent says, Woody, EP techs don't usually have the authority to make PM adjustments on their own.  Yes, there are *some* contributors here whose EP-docs have given nearly carte-blanche to a trusted EP-tech for a given patient and it might seem as though this is normal.

It is not.  I never (well, almost never) ask my EP-techs to make adjustments without going through my EP-doc first - and I'm from the profession.  And it's not polite to put the professional EP-tech into a position where they have to refuse something.

See if you can charm your EP-doc into setting up a treadmill tuning session for you.  The value of this (plus or minus) depends on your primary condition.  For me, SSS+CI, tuning the Rate Response feature of my PM was vital, and this may also be you.  In a tuning session your EP-tech (+/- Manufacturer's Rep) can quickly get the settings optimised for you.

I make no apologies for restating this: your PM won't magically improve your physiogical performance: at best it will allow you to continue improving what you already had, or more typically allow you to get back to where you were.  The ideally trained runner finds that the legs give up at the sort of level where heart/lungs are maximally effective - but I expect you knew that already.  Tim Noakes' bible covers it all.

Biotronik PM Edora 8 DR-T

by woodyharris - 2021-01-15 11:38:04

Thanks for your valued comments ! I appreciate it. I'm new to this and need to be educated.

Woody

PM Techs Employed by EPs??

by Marybird - 2021-01-16 14:04:51

I haven't had that much experience with PM techs, since my pacemaker was implanted 1.5 yrs ago my visits to the EPs office or clinic have been few and far between. My impression, though, at least from those visits, and from my daughter's experience with PM techs since her pacemaker was implanted in 2012, was that the PM techs we have seen are employed by the PM manufacturer, and make their rounds to the cardiology/EP offices when patients with their pacemakers ( ie, Medtronic, St. Jude, Boston Scientific, etc) have appointments with their doctors. Though maybe some doctors may employ PMs on their own- those I've seen are kept busy managing device data from remote monitors or manufacturer websites. Or it's just different at different locations.

As I understand it, though, any device adjustments made by a PM tech is made at the direction of, or approval of the physician ( EP). Or at least,major adjustments, I think I recall the PM making minor adjustments to my daughter's settings, but this would have been with the approval of her EP.