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Who Needs a Pacemaker?

Maya Lin-Takahashi • • 7 min read
Who Needs a Pacemaker?

Your doctor may recommend a temporary pacemaker when you have a slow heartbeat

slow heartbeat
Bradycardia (brad-e-KAHR-dee-uh) is a slower than normal heart rate. The hearts of adults at rest usually beat between 60 and 100 times a minute. If you have bradycardia, your heart beats fewer than 60 times a minute.
› symptoms-causes › syc-20355474
(bradycardia) after a heart attack, surgery or medication overdose but your heartbeat is otherwise expected to recover. A pacemaker may be implanted permanently to correct a chronic slow or irregular heartbeat or to help treat heart failure.

What are the signs of needing a pacemaker?

How to tell if you need a pacemaker
  • Frequent fainting.
  • Inexplicable fatigue (you get enough sleep and stay healthy, yet always feel tired)
  • Inability to exercise, even lightly, without getting very winded.
  • Frequent dizziness or lightheadedness.
  • Heart palpitations or sudden, intense pounding in your chest (without exercise)

Who qualifies for a pacemaker?

Good candidates for pacemakers are people with irregular, slow, or fast heartbeats. In the United States alone, pacemaker implants have risen 56% in the last two decades, but many people with cardiovascular issues fail to recognize the symptoms at first.

Maya Lin-Takahashi
Author

Maya Lin-Takahashi

Maya is a hardware enthusiast who tests and reviews smart home devices, smartphones, wearables, and audio gear. She focuses on practical consumer value and build quality.