Pacemaker Research Paper

What is it?
A pacemaker is a small battery-operated device that’s placed in the chest or abdomen to help control abnormal heart rhythms. Some pacemakers are external and temporary, not surgically implanted. The primary purpose of a pacemaker is to maintain an adequate heart rate, either because the heart's natural pacemaker is too slow, too fast or has an irregular rhythm, this problem is called arrhythmias. A pacemaker can also relieve symptoms such as fatigue and fainting along with blockages in the heart's electrical conduction system. Modern pacemakers are externally programmable and allow a cardiologist to select the optimum pacing modes for individual patients. Some combine a pacemaker and defibrillator in a single implantable device. Others have multiple electrodes stimulating different positions within the heart to improve synchronisation of the lower chambers (ventricles) of the heart.

How does it work?
The way a pacemaker works is that the electrodes will detect your heart's electrical activity and send data through the wires to the computer in the generator. If your heart rhythm is abnormal, the computer will direct the generator to send electrical pulses to your heart. For the heart to beat properly, the signal must travel down a specific path to reach the ventricles (the heart's lower chambers). The artificial pacemaker's pulse generator sends electrical impulses to the heart to help it pump properly. An electrode is placed next to the heart wall and small electrical charges travel through the wire to the heart. Most pacemakers have a sensing mode that prevents the pacemaker from sending impulses when the heartbeat is above a certain level. It also allows the pacemaker to fire when the heartbeat is too slow. These are called demand