A pacemaker is a device made up of three parts: a pulse generator, one or more leads, and an electrode on each lead, which signals the heart to beat in cases of abnormal heartbeats (too slow or irregular) is known as a pacemaker.

• Bradycardia: Heart beat is too slow due to sinus node.
• Tachy-brady syndrome: Alternating fast and slow heartbeats.
• Electrical Heart block: Delayed or blocked electrical signal from upper chambers of heart to lower chamber.

• Medication regimen should be followed to prevent complications
• Dietary intervention
• Prevent overhead abduction of the arm (Movement you use to comb your hair or to reach out to objects kept at a height)

Notify your doctor in case of any of the following warning signs:

• Fever and/or chills
• Nausea and/or vomiting,
• Dizziness and/or fainting
• Breathlessness
• Increased pain
• Redness or/and swelling at pacemaker site
• Bleeding or any other drainage from the site of insertion
• Chest pain/pressure and/or palpitations

• Pneumothorax – Air accumulation outside the lungs compressing it making it difficult to breathe. Treatment – Usually resolves by conservative methods like high flow oxygen but in severe cases might require a tube to be inserted to remove the air from the chest
• Pericardial Tamponade – The wire inserted in the heart can cause trauma to the heart leading to blood accumulation around it. Treatment – Removal of Blood and replacement of leads.
• Dislodgement of leads – The leads might get dislodges which requires refixation of leads
• Infection of the pacemaker – A complication which requires hospitalization for antibiotics and sometimes removal or explant of the pacemaker.
• Twiddler syndrome – As the pacemaker is just under the skin some patients might fiddle with the device which might inadvertently lead to dislodgement of the wire.