Q. What is pacing in cardiology?
Doctor Answer is medically reviewed by SecondMedic medical review team.
Pacing in cardiology is a procedure that helps restore the heart’s normal electrical rhythm. It involves using a device called a pacemaker to send electrical signals to the heart muscle, which stimulates it to beat at its optimum rate. The pacemaker can be programmable or non-programmable, depending on what type of device is best suited for the patient’s condition.
Pacemakers are sometimes used for patients whose hearts (either due to underlying medical conditions or prolonged illness) stop beating normally due to irregularities in their rhythm or an inability of the upper part of their heart chambers (atria) and lower parts (ventricles) not functioning together synchronously. Cardiac pacing may also be done when someone experiences syncope/fainting episodes because they have bradycardia—a very slow heartbeat (<60>
In addition, cardiac pacing may help people with congestive heart failure who have lower than normal blood flow from the left ventricle come into proper alignment as well as prevent abnormal tachycardia episodes caused by arrhythmias such as supraventricular tachycardias and ventricular fibrillation. Cardiac pacing can also help improve symptoms like dizziness and shortness of breath that occur with various types of cardiomyopathies including hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and dilated cardiomyopathy.
Overall, cardiac pacing plays an important role in improving quality of life while allowing those with certain conditions maintain a healthy lifestyle free from discomforting symptoms associated with irregular heart rhythms.