PM adjusting and settings

Hi :) I was wondering if someone could please explain to me the settings on the PM...I am semi active person..when I first got my PM the upper was set at 130...okay so then when I went for my first PM checkup..I told the Dr that I was semi active and liked to walk and sometimes ride my bike..so he set the upper at 140 left the lower at 50...and the rate response was not on... so after I read some of these postings..I am confused on the settings...I understand the lower setting but am confused about the high rating... and with it being higher then 130..would this make me not feel good... I am sorry for maybe a dumb question.... but I just am so confused about the settings... I know everyone is different...and I have some quirking things going on once in awhile....anyways, thank you
breezy

1 Comments

settings

by Tracey_E - 2010-01-10 09:01:37

The settings that are relevant to you depend on why you have the pm.

If you have an atrial problem like SSS, then your lower limit is most important, the pm is there for safety and won't let you goptoo slow. If your heart speeds up with activity on its own, then your upper limit is irrelevant, the pm will just sit and watch.

You only need rate response if your atrial rate won't get up high enough on its own when you exercise. If your rate goes up naturally, then rr can compete with your heart and cause problems.

If you have a normal atrial rate but pace ventricle, like an AV block, then lower limit doesn't matter so much because going slow isn't your problem, completing the circuit is why you have a pm. Upper limit is important in this case because if your upper limit is 130 but your atrial rate gets higher than that when you exercise, the pm can only pace you as high as the upper limit of your pm. An atrial rate of 150 with the ventricle only pacing to 130 does not feel good.

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