Pacemaker: a device used to correct an abnormal or irregular heart rate. Implantable pacemakers date from the 1960s. It is a pulse generator inserted under the skin of the shoulder or abdomen, which delivers minute, regular electrical impulses via a connecting wire to an electrode touching the heart. These impulses stimulate the heart muscle to contract regularizing the heartbeat. Technical advances have progressively decreased the size of pacemakers and increased their life to ten years or more. A microprocessor senses when the pacemaker needs to operate and can be adjusted by an external programmer (similar to small computer), transmitting radio-frequency signals.
No comments:
Post a Comment