Pacemakers

Heart Care Center of Northwest Houston

Cardiologists located in Houston, TX & Cypress, TX

If you have a heart arrhythmia, you may be a candidate for a pacemaker. The cardiologists at the Heart Care Center of Northwest Houston in Houston and North Cypress, Texas, offer implantation surgeries in a hospital setting for permanent pacemakers. A pacemaker can help regulate your heartbeat and reduce your risk for more serious health complications. To find out if you’d benefit from a pacemaker, schedule a consultation at the Heart Care Center of Northwest Houston online or by calling the office nearest you today.

Pacemakers Q & A

What are pacemakers?

A pacemaker is a small, implantable device that helps regulate the rhythm of your heart. The pacemaker delivers pulses of electrical energy into the heart to prompt it to beat at a normal rate.

The Heart Care Center of Northwest Houston offers permanent pacemakers that also monitor and record the electrical activity of your heart and your heart’s rhythm. This allows the pacemaker to adjust your heart rate to your activities.

Why would I need a pacemaker?

You may need a pacemaker if you have an arrhythmia or irregular heartbeat. An arrhythmia can develop if your heart isn’t able to pump enough blood to the rest of your body and leads to shortness of breath, chronic fatigue, and can cause damage to your organs. If left uncontrolled, an arrhythmia can lead to premature death.

Your Heart Care Center of Northwest Houston cardiologist may recommend a permanent pacemaker to control your heart rhythm on a long-term basis.

The pacemaker works by delivering electrical pulses to your heart to:

Speed up a slow heart rhythm
Control an abnormal rhythm
Regulate a fast heart rhythm
Ensure proper contraction of your ventricles
Prevent dangerous arrhythmias resulting from long QT syndrome

A pacemaker can also coordinate electrical signals between your ventricles and between the lower and upper chambers of your heart. Pacemakers that do this are known as cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) devices. CRT devices treat heart failure.

What does the placement of pacemakers involve?

The Heart Care Center of Northwest Houston performs the pacemaker implantation procedure in a hospital setting while you’re under general anesthesia.

Your cardiologist monitors your heart activity throughout the procedure using an electrocardiogram (ECG). They also track your heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing during your surgery.

They make an incision under your collarbone and place a catheter into a blood vessel. They move the catheter to your heart and push through the lead wire of the pacemaker. To ensure the proper placement of the lead wire, your cardiologist uses fluoroscopy guidance, a special live X-ray technology.

Making another incision near your collarbone, they place a small generator that connects to the lead wire. They confirm the device is working properly before closing your incisions.

How long does it take to recover from pacemaker surgery?

You can expect to schedule a follow-up visit at the Heart Care Center of Northwest Houston in the days after surgery to confirm the pacemaker is working properly and that you’re having no complications from surgery.

You may need to limit strenuous activities for several days to let your incisions heal. Your cardiologist can help manage any pain you have and can advise when you can return to your usual activities. They also provide resources to help you care for your pacemaker.

To find out if a pacemaker is right for you, make an appointment online or by calling the Heart Care Center of Northwest Houston office nearest you today.