artificial pacemaker

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artificial pacemaker

artificial pacemaker device used to stimulate a rhythmic heartbeat by means of electrical impulses. Implanted in the body when the heart's own electrical conduction system (natural pacemaker) does not function normally, the battery-powered device emits impulses that trigger heart-muscle contraction at a rate that is preset or is determined by demand. The device today may be as small as one inch (2.5 cm) in diameter and weigh as little as 0.5 oz. (14 gm). It is implanted, using local anesthetic, under a flap of skin in the chest or abdomen. One or more electrodes are threaded through a vein from the device to the right side of the heart. First developed in the 1960s, pacemakers originally sent one steady beat to the heart. Modern versions can monitor the heart and activate only when necessary; they are also less sensitive to outside sources of electromagnetic radiation than earlier versions. Most pacemakers run on lithium batteries, which need to be replaced about every 10 years. See also arrhythmia .

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pacemaker

World Encyclopedia | 2005 | Â© World Encyclopedia 2005, originally published by Oxford University Press 2005. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

pacemaker (sino-atrial node) Specialized group of cells in the vertebrate heart that contract spontaneously, setting the pace for the heartbeat itself. If it fails, it can be replaced by an artificial pacemaker – an electronic unit that stimulates the heart by means of tiny electrical impulses.

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Free newspaper and magazine articles

	Team-based manufacturing cells. (St. Jude Medical Inc.'s artificial heart valve, pacemakers and other related products) Magazine article from: Modern Machine Shop; 9/1/1998
	A gentler jolt and tickle for trembling hearts: implanted defibrillators and pacemakers. Magazine article from: FDA Consumer; 4/1/1994
	Biotechnology closer to replacing electronic pacemakers.(New Technology) Magazine article from: Healthcare Purchasing News; 10/1/2006

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