Percent pacing

Can anyone explain what it means when my pacemaker is pacing 60% and later will be 100%.  Is that because the heart is getting bad or the heart is adjusting to the pacemaker? Thanks

3 Comments

More added

by 082343 - 2011-01-04 10:01:19

Forgot to says I've had my PM for three years, last year both the upper and lower were pacing 3 to 5 Percent. Now it's upper 5% and lower 60%......Thanks

Percent Pacing

by SMITTY - 2011-01-05 10:01:10

Seeing your percent pacing go up does not necessarily mean things are getting worse. Your pacemaker has two set points . A low and a high. Let's use a low set point of 60 for you (I'm guessing of course). So long as your natural heart rate is at 60 or above the pacemaker just monitors your heart rate and helps out as necessary. When the rate drops below 60 the pacemaker kicks in full time to bring it back to 60. The PM will continue to help out as necessary until the rate passes the upper limit. At that point the PM becomes a monitor and will not send impulses until the rate is back below the upper set point.

For reasons I don't understand our heart's natural pacemaker will go along keeping our heart rate at about same number for weeks, months, or years, and then it will drop or it may go up. So our heart rate as determined by the heart's natural pacemaker is not always the same.

If the pacing percentage becomes a concern to you talk to your doctor. He will have information about your heart other than percent pacing by the PM. This can provide a truer picture of the condition of your heart and he will know if any changes are taking place that should be of concern.

Good luck,

Smitty

Followup

by 082343 - 2011-01-05 10:01:15

Thanks Smitty for information....

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