If the “sinus node”, the heart’s stimulation center, has trouble producing a stimulus, or if there is a problem in transmitting the produced stimulus to the heart chambers quickly enough, the heartbeat will slow down. If the heart rate is slower than normal, it means that the heart has difficulty in pumping blood and the body cannot get the energy it needs. Pacemakers are devices that have an active role in providing the electrical stimulation needed by the heart or transmitting the stimulus to the heart cavities in a timely manner in patients with electrical conduction problems in the heart.
There are also devices that are called pacemakers among the people, but that we use mostly because of their “electroshock” feature and that we describe as “ICD” in the medical language. These are used in patients who have heart failure and therefore have a high probability of experiencing some life-threatening rhythm disorders. Diseases related to the heart electrical system do not always cause the heart to slow down. Sometimes they cause the heart to beat faster than normal and cause the disease we call arrhythmia. Especially, arrhythmias originating from the ventricles, which are the ventricles of the heart, can bring vital risks. Sudden rhythm disturbances originating from the ventricle should be intervened within 1-2 minutes at most. Otherwise, the person is faced with a life-threatening risk. If blood does not go to the brain, brain death occurs within 3 minutes. Rhythm disorders that develop in patients with heart failure requiring emergency intervention are treated with specialized pacemakers called ICDs. ICDs detect the life-threatening rhythm disorder in a person in a short time like 20-25 seconds and correct the rhythm disorder by giving an “electroshock” in as little as 30 seconds. ICDs are much more expensive devices and are at least 5-6 times more expensive than a normal pacemaker.
Medtronic branded products, which are accepted as the best in the whole world, are used in the pacing operations carried out with the organization of Trum Health Group.