Temporary cardiac pacing
Temporary cardiac pacing involves electrical cardiac stimulation to reestablish normal hemodynamics that are acutely compromised by a slow or fast heart rate.
Some facts about Temporary cardiac pacing:
- A bradyarrhythmia or tachyarrhythmia is treated by a temporary cardiac pacing, until it resolves or until long-term therapy can be initiated.
- Temporary pacing can also be used prophylactically when the need for pacing is anticipated.
- It can be lifesaving in some cases.
- Although any symptomatic indication for permanent cardiac pacing is potentially an indication for temporary cardiac pacing, it is most commonly used for patients with symptomatic bradyarrhythmias, which is mostly due to atrioventricular (AV) nodal block.
- The main purpose of implanting temporary cardiac pacing is to treat severe symptoms and/or hemodynamic instability due to a bradycardia.
- Potential deterioration resulting in hemodynamic instability can also be prevented by a Temporary cardiac pacing.
- Temporary cardiac pacing helps the heartbeat get back to a normal pace if it has been temporarily out of rhythm.
- A normal heart rate can be maintained in people whose own heart rate is not pumping enough blood around the body which may be in slow heart rhythms, fast rhythms or when the heart fails to beat.
- Temporary cardiac pacing may be used following a heart attack (acute myocardial infarction), following heart surgery, awaiting insertion of a permanent pacemaker or to make the heartbeat faster to override an undesirable rhythm.
Preparation for Temporary cardiac pacing:
- Instructions will be given about what to eat and drink during the 24 hours before the surgery.
- Usually, you should not eat or drink anything for six to eight hours before temporary cardiac pacing .
- Inform your doctor about any medicines (including over the counter, herbs and vitamins) you take as you may be asked to stop them before your cath procedure
- Inform our doctor if you are allergic to anything, especially latex, shellfish, or rubber products, iodine, medicines like penicillin, or X-ray dye
Procedure for Temporary cardiac pacing:
- Wires are inserted through the chest, or a large vein in the groin or neck, and are directly connected to the heart during heart surgery in temporary cardiac pacing.
- These wires are connected to an external pacing box, by which a current is delivered to the heart to make it beat normally.
- Temporary cardiac pacing can be used for few days or weeks.
- A permanent pacemaker may be needed if there are long-term problems with the rhythm of your heartbeat.
- A small pacing box that gets inserted inside the chest during heart surgery.
Temporary cardiac pacing is inserted in two ways.
- A long narrow tube called catheter is used with an electrode at the tip that is threaded into a large blood vessel, usually in the groin or neck, until it reaches the inside of the heart.
- X-ray screening will be used in this procedure to see the exact position of the catheter.
- Temporary cardiac pacing can be placed during an open heart surgery, where the exposed ends of insulated pacing wires are attached to the outside surface of the heart and then brought through the front of the chest.
- Cables are used to attach the battery-powered pacing box with the pacing wires.
- The pacing box is then set to keep the heart rate at 60 to 100 beats.
