Some individuals may have problems that involve heart rate and rhythm. They can be managed with certain medications, procedures, and/or cardiac devices. Regarding devices, two types are available: pacemakers and implantable cardioverter-defibrillators. They can exist as separate devices but are available as combination devices for patients who need both.

Pacemakers

Pacemakers are cardiac devices that stimulate heart contraction. There are many clinical indications for these devices, such as sick sinus syndrome and third-degree heart block. In general, pacemakers are used by patients who have slow or absent heartbeats, which are due to problems with the sinus node firing electrical impulses or the atrioventricular (AV) node conducting impulses from the atria to the ventricles of the heart.

The device consists of a battery-powered pulse generator, implanted under the skin (subcutaneously) or muscle (submuscularly), and leads that connect to the atria and/or ventricles of the heart. After placement, the pacemaker is programmed in a certain way and designated with a shorthand of at least three letters:

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