What are the side effects of a pacemaker?

Pacemakers are generally safe; however, there may be few side effects present, which include:
  • Infection at the pacemaker's site.
  • Swelling, bleeding or bruising at the pacemaker's site.
  • A collapsed lung.
  • Damage to blood vessels or nerves near the pacemakers.
  • Allergic reaction to dye or anesthesia used during the surgery.
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What are the negatives of having a pacemaker?

Risks
  • Infection near the site in the heart where the device is implanted.
  • Swelling, bruising or bleeding at the pacemaker site, especially if you take blood thinners.
  • Blood clots (thromboembolism) near the pacemaker site.
  • Damage to blood vessels or nerves near the pacemaker.
  • Collapsed lung (pneumothorax)
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What is the most common complication after permanent pacemaker placement?

The most common complication is lead dislodgement (higher rate atrial dislodgment than ventricular dislodgment), followed by pneumothorax, infection, bleeding/pocket hematoma, and heart perforation, not necessarily in that order, depending on the study (15-29) (Tables 2,​33).
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What is the life expectancy of a person with a pacemaker?

Baseline patient characteristics are summarized in Table 1: The median patient survival after pacemaker implantation was 101.9 months (approx. 8.5 years), at 5, 10, 15 and 20 years after implantation 65.6%, 44.8%, 30.8% and 21.4%, respectively, of patients were still alive.
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What are the 3 primary problems that can occur with a pacemaker?

Patients with pacemakers generally face problems that can be grouped into the following categories3:
  • 1) Failure to pace the appropriate cardiac chamber: Output failure. Capture failure.
  • 2) Problem with detecting intracardiac signals: Undersensing. Oversensing.
  • 3) Pseudomalfunction: Crosstalk with resultant safety pacing.
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Pacemaker Implantation: What are the risks?



Can pacemaker affect sleep?

In a mixed population of 105 pacemaker and ICD recipients, 44% had poor sleep quality. QoL is a construct that often includes symptoms such as sleep and sleep disturbance as a part of the overall definition.
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What are 4 things to be avoided if you have a pacemaker device?

What precautions should I take with my pacemaker or ICD?
  • It is generally safe to go through airport or other security detectors. ...
  • Avoid magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines or other large magnetic fields. ...
  • Avoid diathermy. ...
  • Turn off large motors, such as cars or boats, when working on them.
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Can you lead a normal life with a pacemaker?

Once you recover from the implantation surgery, none of the precautions you need to take are particularly burdensome, and you won't encounter most of them during your daily life. For the most part, once your pacemaker is implanted, you can go through your normal life without ever thinking about it.
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How do you sleep with a pacemaker?

Sleep on your side.

“In heart failure patients, lateral sleep positions on the side, left or right, can often decrease sleep apnea.” A bit of controversy surrounds whether the left or right side is best, says Khayat. If you have an implanted defibrillator, sleep on the opposite side.
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Can I drink alcohol if I have a pacemaker?

Alcohol interferes with this pacemaker, causing the heart to beat too quickly or irregularly. This is called an arrhythmia. It can cause blood clots, dizziness, unconsciousness, heart attack, or even sudden death.
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What can go wrong after pacemaker surgery?

A pacemaker can go wrong if: the lead gets pulled out of position. the battery of the pulse generator fails. the circuits that control the pacemaker are damaged after being exposed to strong magnetic fields.
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Will a pacemaker give me more energy?

By regulating the heart's rhythm, a pacemaker can often eliminate the symptoms of bradycardia. This means individuals often have more energy and less shortness of breath.
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How do you know if your body is rejecting a pacemaker?

Signs and symptoms of pacemaker failure or malfunction include:
  1. Dizziness, lightheadedness.
  2. Fainting or loss of consciousness.
  3. Palpitations.
  4. Hard time breathing.
  5. Slow or fast heart rate, or a combination of both.
  6. Constant twitching of muscles in the chest or abdomen.
  7. Frequent hiccups.
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How should you feel after getting a pacemaker?

You may feel a hard ridge along the incision. This usually gets softer in the months after surgery. You may be able to see or feel the outline of the pacemaker under your skin. You will probably be able to go back to work or your usual routine 1 to 2 weeks after surgery.
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Can a pacemaker cause weight gain?

Be sure to follow your treatment plan, and let your doctor know about any changes in how you feel, including symptoms like: Fast weight gain.
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Can I drink coffee with a pacemaker?

A new study shows coffee is safe for people at risk of arrhythmias, even if they have heart failure and are wearing a pacemaker.
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Is it OK to sleep on your left side if you have a pacemaker?

You may sleep on the same side as your pacemaker. Loose fitting tops may feel better.
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What is the best side to sleep on for your heart?

If you sleep on your right side, the pressure of your body smashes up against the blood vessels that return to your ticker, but “sleeping on your left side with your right side not squished is supposed to potentially increase blood flow back to your heart.” And anything you can do to help your most important organ pump ...
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Does a pacemaker shorten life expectancy?

Pacemakers implanted for slow heart rhythm restore life expectancy to normal levels, reveals research presented today at ESC Congress 2013 by Dr. Erik O.
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Do you feel different with a pacemaker?

A: Most people do not feel their pacemakers working. However, keep in mind the pacemaker is rate-responsive, meaning it will increase the rate of your heart in response to your activity level.
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Is having a pacemaker a disability?

Having a pacemaker installed is not by itself a qualifying condition for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits. However, it may be a sign that an individual is experiencing serious heart health problems that, taken together, are disabling.
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Can you use a cell phone with a pacemaker?

According to the FDA, you can safely use a cell phone, if you wear a pacemaker, by taking two simple precautions: Proper storage. Avoid placing a turned-on phone next to your pacemaker implant. For instance, don't carry the phone in a shirt or jacket pocket that rests over the pacemaker.
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Do you sleep better with a pacemaker?

People with pacemakers inspired the study. They reported that after getting pacemakers, they were sleeping better and not waking up as much at night.
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Does pacemaker cause anxiety?

Table IV presents the results concerning the levels of anxiety and depression of patients with a pacemaker. The results showed that 59.2% and 67.2% of patients reported low levels of anxiety and depression, respectively. High levels of anxiety and depression were observed in 27.2% and 14.0% of the sample, respectively.
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How can I tell if my pacemaker is working?

You can tell if your pacemaker is malfunctioning if you are starting to experience symptoms of arrhythmia. You might have chest pain, difficulty breathing, dizziness, or lightheadedness. There are several reasons why your pacemaker might stop working.
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