Pacemaker is Uncomfortable

Q: My pacemaker stands out more than other ladies’ pacemakers and causes me pain. Guess I just have to be happy I’m not passing out anymore.

A: The pacemaker or its wires may stand out due to your having little body fat or because of where the pacemaker was implanted. I would not worry about it as long as the skin over the wires and the pacemaker does not get red and sore and the area does not get rubbed or bumped often. While the implant can
be revised and buried deeper, it is best to “leave well enough alone.” Any revision carries some risk, particularly of infection. So avoid that if possible. The best news is that the pacemaker is preventing your passing-out spells.

Heartbeat

Cardiac Test Basics

Please explain the difference between an electrocardiogram and an echocardiogram. What exactly do these tests tell doctors about the heart?

Give the Gift of Life

My brother-in-law just turned 50 and needs a new heart. We sometimes hear that wealthy people get donor organs quicker than others. Is this true? How long is the usual wait for a new heart?

Low-Dose Aspirin for Heart Health

What is the latest information about taking daily baby aspirin to help the heart?

Heart Defect Often Causes No Symptoms

I had a stroke in 2003, and a diagnostic test showed a “hole” in my heart with no right-to-left shunt. The shunt didn’t show up on a different kind of test in 2009, either. I came through the stroke fine because I went to the hospital right away and have been on warfarin ever since. My question is: If there’s no shunt, is the hole present?

Surgery Corrects Heart Rhythm

Q: How does the Maze treatment for atrial fibrillation work, and what does it involve? A: The Maze procedure is open heart surgery to eliminate rapid heartbeats. It involves making a series of incisions in the top portion of the heart, the atria. In experienced hands, the procedure is successful in more than 90 percent [...]