08-11-2012, 11:36 AM
Artificial Pacemakers
[attachment=38535]
Technology has surrounded our
lifestyle and that fact is more then
apparent in the field of medicine.
The fictional concept of the Bionic
Man came alive in television in 1974
but the idea of artificial technology
being used in the human body goes
back much further then that. Just
about every specialized field of
medicine uses some type of artificial technology. In
cardiology that technology may be artificial heart valves or
stints made of exotic metals but we are going to focus on
the artificial pacemaker.
In this article our objective will be to
• Explore the history of pacemaker science.
• Examine the components of the pacemaker and
their function.
• Review the different types of pacemakers and
the conditions that they treat.
• Learn the way that the pacemaker treats these
conditions.
• Study the problems that pacemakers may have
and EMS role in treating them.
History of the Pacemaker
Wikipedia defines the pacemaker as a medical device
designed to regulate the beating of the heart. The Artificial
Pacemaker replaces or assists the natural pacemaker which
stimulates the heart to beat with an electrical impulse
originating from the Sinus Atrial Node. The first
pacemakers were made of two parts. The pulse generator
sends an electric impulse out to the heart and the leads
carry the impulse and deliver it to the heart.
The science behind electrical therapy
goes back hundreds of years to the 1600’s.
Early scientist studied static electricity and
its affect in biology. They applied static
electricity into the muscles of dead animals
and executed criminals and observed the
muscles as they contracted in response.
In 1786 Italian scientist Luigi Galvani
while studying the anatomy of frogs
discovered that by applying a metal scalpel
to the nerves of a freshly killed frog he could cause the
muscles to contract and the legs to flex. While exploring
some of his theories he attached brass hooks to the spine of
a dead frog and then hung the frog from an iron rail during
a lighting storm. He observed that the legs would twitch in
response to the lighting and concluded that animals receive
electricity from the environment and store it in a
“nerveoelectrical fluid”. He called his theory “animal
electricity”.
What do Pacemakers Do
The hearts natural
pacemaker generates and
delivers an electrical impulse
to stimulate a muscle
contraction. That impulse
comes from the Sinoatrial
Node. In a healthy heart that
impulse will travel from the
SA node through the Bundle
of His and into the ventricles
through the bundle branches.
When the natural pacemaker is
not working or when pathway
used by the impulse is blocked
then an artificial pacemaker is
needed. A single chamber
pacemaker has one lead that delivers an impulse to the right
atrium or the right ventricle. The lead also carries
information back to pacemaker. Modern pacemakers are
able to “listen” to the hearts native rhythm and only fire
when needed. These pacemakers are called demand
pacemakers. A single chamber pacemaker placed in the
atrium can be used to treat atrial arrhythmia or treat a
condition were the SA node does not fire properly called
Sick Sinus Syndrome. A single chamber pacemaker placed
in the ventricle can aid in pumping blood to the lungs and
treat rate problems.
[attachment=38535]
Technology has surrounded our
lifestyle and that fact is more then
apparent in the field of medicine.
The fictional concept of the Bionic
Man came alive in television in 1974
but the idea of artificial technology
being used in the human body goes
back much further then that. Just
about every specialized field of
medicine uses some type of artificial technology. In
cardiology that technology may be artificial heart valves or
stints made of exotic metals but we are going to focus on
the artificial pacemaker.
In this article our objective will be to
• Explore the history of pacemaker science.
• Examine the components of the pacemaker and
their function.
• Review the different types of pacemakers and
the conditions that they treat.
• Learn the way that the pacemaker treats these
conditions.
• Study the problems that pacemakers may have
and EMS role in treating them.
History of the Pacemaker
Wikipedia defines the pacemaker as a medical device
designed to regulate the beating of the heart. The Artificial
Pacemaker replaces or assists the natural pacemaker which
stimulates the heart to beat with an electrical impulse
originating from the Sinus Atrial Node. The first
pacemakers were made of two parts. The pulse generator
sends an electric impulse out to the heart and the leads
carry the impulse and deliver it to the heart.
The science behind electrical therapy
goes back hundreds of years to the 1600’s.
Early scientist studied static electricity and
its affect in biology. They applied static
electricity into the muscles of dead animals
and executed criminals and observed the
muscles as they contracted in response.
In 1786 Italian scientist Luigi Galvani
while studying the anatomy of frogs
discovered that by applying a metal scalpel
to the nerves of a freshly killed frog he could cause the
muscles to contract and the legs to flex. While exploring
some of his theories he attached brass hooks to the spine of
a dead frog and then hung the frog from an iron rail during
a lighting storm. He observed that the legs would twitch in
response to the lighting and concluded that animals receive
electricity from the environment and store it in a
“nerveoelectrical fluid”. He called his theory “animal
electricity”.
What do Pacemakers Do
The hearts natural
pacemaker generates and
delivers an electrical impulse
to stimulate a muscle
contraction. That impulse
comes from the Sinoatrial
Node. In a healthy heart that
impulse will travel from the
SA node through the Bundle
of His and into the ventricles
through the bundle branches.
When the natural pacemaker is
not working or when pathway
used by the impulse is blocked
then an artificial pacemaker is
needed. A single chamber
pacemaker has one lead that delivers an impulse to the right
atrium or the right ventricle. The lead also carries
information back to pacemaker. Modern pacemakers are
able to “listen” to the hearts native rhythm and only fire
when needed. These pacemakers are called demand
pacemakers. A single chamber pacemaker placed in the
atrium can be used to treat atrial arrhythmia or treat a
condition were the SA node does not fire properly called
Sick Sinus Syndrome. A single chamber pacemaker placed
in the ventricle can aid in pumping blood to the lungs and
treat rate problems.