A pacemaker is an electronic device that provides electrical stimulation to the heart muscle. Pacemakers were first developed in the 1950s and have since become implantable devices used to treat conditions like sinus node dysfunction and heart block. There are permanent and temporary pacemakers that can be single chamber, dual chamber, or multisite devices. Pacemakers are implanted surgically and connected to the heart with leads to provide pacing in the appropriate chambers. Nursing care involves preoperative teaching, postoperative monitoring for complications, assessing pacemaker function, and educating patients.
Related topics: