Single Chamber Pacemaker

A single chamber pacemaker is used to stimulate the pumping segment of the heart. It is most frequently used when the atria is nonfunctional, i.e. in the case of atrial fibrillation.

Dual Chamber Pacemaker

A dual chamber pacemaker provides pacing of both loading and pumping chambers of the heart, thus achieving maximal efficiency of the two chamber.

Biventricular Pacemaker

A biventricular pacemaker provides enhanced contraction of ventricular (pumping) chamber in patients with congestive heart failure and intraventricular conduction defect.

AICD

An Automatic Implantable Cardiac Defibrillator (AICD) is placed under the skin under local anesthesia, much like a pacemaker, in patients who have a predisposition to dangerous arrhythmias that could cause loss of consciousness. This device has the ability to detect a dangerous heart rhythm. If such a rhythm exists, the AICD converts the rhythm back to normal by applying an electrical shock to the heart. After the AICD is implanted, it is checked several times a year on an outpatient basis.

Holter Monitor

A Holter monitor is a small lightweight portable tape recorder that is connected to the patient by attaching 5 to 7 electrodes to the skin. These electrodes pick up your heart’s electrical signals and record them on a tape cassette. The Holter moniter provides a continuous recording on tape of an individual’s heart rhythm for a prolonged period of time, usually 24 hours. While an electrocardiogram will last less than a minute, this prolonged monitoring is used to detect abnormal rhythms during daily activity in order to explain symptoms of dizziness, palpitation, or black outs.

Event Monitor

This is a portable, battery operated machine used by a patient to record heart rhythm over a long period of time. Each time symptoms are experienced the patient presses a button on the recorder to record the electrocardiogram. As soon as possible, the sample is transmitted to the doctor’s office by phone for evaluation. While a Holter monitor is given to patients with frequent symptoms, an event recorder is given to patients with occasional symptoms.