Artificial pacemaker

Artificial pacemaker is a sophisticated medical accessary which employs electrical impulses, delivered by electrodes contacting the heart muscles, to control and monitor the beating of the heart. The primary purpose of a pacemaker is to regulate an adequate heart rate, either because the heart's native pacemaker is not fast enough, or there is a blockade in the heart's electrical conduction system. Modern pacemakers are externally programmable and give freedom for the cardiologist to select the optimum pacing modes for every individual patient. Some combine a pacemaker and implantable defibrillator in a single implantable device. Others have more than one electrodes stimulating differing positions within the heart to enhance synchronisation of the lower chambers of the heart.There exist different methods of pacing namely Percussive Pacing,Transcutaneous pacing,Transvenous pacing (temporary) and Permanent pacing.Lots of research has been made to improve the control of the pacemaker after implantation. Many of these enhancements have been now possible by using microprocessor controlled pacemakers. Pacemakers that control the ventricles and the atria are now common. Pacemakers that control both the atria and ventricles are called dual-chamber pacemakers. Although these dual-chamber models are rather expensive, timing the contractions of the atria to precede that of the ventricles improves the pumping efficiency of the heart and can be useful in congestive heart failure.