#335: Your Pacemaker Questions Answered

When the heart rate is irregular or too slow, cardiac output is compromised. A pacemaker may be utilized to support the heart’s electrical system, stabilize arrhythmias, and ensure the heart pumps at a rate that supports tissue perfusion throughout the body.  A pacemaker may be indicated in patients with arrhythmias such as sick sinus syndrome (also known as sinus node dysfunction), symptomatic bradycardia, or high-grade heart blocks. Other indications include post myocardial infarction, heart failure, congenital heart defects, and temporarily after some cardiac surgeries. This episode answers some key questions you have about pacemakers including:  What do all these terms mean? Capture? Sensing? Output? What’s the difference between failure to sense and oversensing? What is failure to capture? What’s the difference between electrical capture and mechanical capture? What are the different types of pacemakers? What do the letters in the pacemaker settings mean? What are some common pacing modes? How do I troubleshoot common temporary pacemaker problems? What is an ICD? Hit play on this episode to learn some basics about pacemakers, so you can feel more confident caring for patients utilizing this very common device! ___________________ Full Transcript - Read the article and view references. A-List Newsletter - Get on the “A-List” and get a notification each Thursday about the current episode, Nurse Mo’s Tip of the Week, product recommendations to make your nurse life better, and more! FREE CLASS - If all you've heard are nursing school horror stories, then you need this class! Join me in this on-demand session where I dispel all those nursing school myths and show you that YES...you can thrive in nursing school without it taking over your life! Study Sesh - Change the way you study with this private podcast that includes dynamic audio formats that help you review and test your recall of important nursing concepts on-the-go. Free yourself from your desk with Study Sesh! Med Surg Solution - Are you looking for a more effective way to learn Med Surg? Enroll in Med Surg Solution and get lessons on 57 key topics and out-of-this-world study guides. 💕Did you love this episode? Please take a moment to follow or subscribe to the show so you never miss an episode! ___________________ The information, including but not limited to, audio, video, text, and graphics contained on this podcast are for educational purposes only. No content on this podcast is intended to guide nursing practice and does not supersede any individual healthcare provider's scope of practice or any nursing school curriculum. Additionally, no content on this podcast is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Straight a Nursing is a proud member of the Airwave Media Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices