Heart problems: Living with a pacemaker or ICD
What are pacemakers and ICDs?
Pacemakers and ICDs are small electrical devices that help control the timing of your heartbeat.
- A pacemaker
is implanted under the skin of your chest wall. The pacemaker's wires are passed through a vein into the chambers of your heart. The pacemaker sends out mild electrical pulses that keep your heart from beating too slow.
- An implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) is implanted under your skin, usually below the left collarbone. A wire threaded through a large vein connects the device to your heart. An ICD is always checking your heart rate. If your heart starts beating dangerously fast, the ICD sends a strong electrical shock to your heart to return it to a normal rhythm. If your heart is beating too slow, the ICD acts as a pacemaker, sending mild electrical pulses to bring your heart rate back up to normal.
Test Your Knowledge
A pacemaker sends out mild electrical pulses that keep your heart from beating too slow.
If your heart is beating too fast, an ICD sends a strong shock to your heart.
Continue to
Why does a pacemaker or ICD need to be checked regularly?
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| Author: | Robin Parks, MS | Last Updated: June 18, 2009 |
| Medical Review: | Caroline S. Rhoads, MD - Internal Medicine John M. Miller, MD - Electrophysiology | |
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