How do you prepare for Dual Chamber PPMI? (Pre-operative)

• You will be asked by your doctor to quit smoking and stop blood thinning medicines, such as aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen
• You may be asked to go into alcohol withdrawal days before the surgery to avoid life-threatening complications like seizures or tremors
• You may be asked to wash yourself with an antibiotic soap to lessen chances of infection after surgery
• You will be asked to stop eating and drinking after midnight before the day of operation
• You will be asked to undergo routine tests for assessing your health before surgery. These may include:

1. Chest X-ray
2. Electrocardiogram (ECG)
3. Blood tests
4. Echocardiogram (to assess your current valve)
5. Coronary angiogram (to assess blood flow in your heart arteries)

What happens during dual chamber pacemaker placement procedure? (During the procedure)

During the surgery, one or more flexible, insulated wires (leads, or electrodes) are inserted into a major vein under or near your collarbone and guided to your heart with the help of X-ray images. One end of each wire is secured to the appropriate position in your heart, while the other end is attached to the pulse generator, which is usually implanted under the skin beneath your collarbone.

What can you expect after dual chamber pacemaker placement procedure? (Post-operative)

• You’ll be asked to stay in the hospital for one day after having a pacemaker implanted
• You’ll be asked to avoid wearing tight clothing that could irritate the skin over your implant
• You may experience some pain near the area where your pacemaker gets implanted.
• You may have to visit your doctor several times during the first few months to check the pacemaker’s settings

Lifestyle changes

• You will be asked to avoid driving, heavy lifting for 3 to 8 weeks
• You will be asked to avoid caffeine, especially in the evenings
• You will be asked to cut down on foods high in salt, fat, and sugar
• You will be advised to avoid placing your cell phone directly over your pacemaker implantation site when the phone is turned on
• You may be advised to carry an ID card stating that you have a pacemaker in airports

Key Terminologies

Bradycardia-  Refers to abnormally slow heartbeats. Bradycardia may result when electrical signals are not produced faster than required, or when these signals do not reach your heart’s  ventricles.

Atrial fibrillation- Refers to  irregular heartbeat in which abnormal electrical signals originate in the atria. Atrial fibrillation can result in the rate of the lower chambers to slow down, thus causing bradycardia.