Low Impedance

Has anyone had very low impedance? I had my new pacemaker placed and my impedance levels dropped but they are stable at 110 and 130. From my understanding these are very low and that this is a insulation break within the leads.

We turned off my ventricular leads because it would always shock me in my pocket when it is paced. I only use that one 0.5% of the time but I'm concerned about my atrial lead and what could happen with such low impedance. I can always feel it shock me when it does its auto checks.

2 Comments

Don't know the exact specs but

by BillMFl - 2014-01-09 04:01:07

When your pacer does its self check or when the Tech does it, two of the tests are impedance and continuity. If the lead is broken but the insulation is intact, then resistance becomes extremely high and the pacer's low current cannot jump the gap so no electrical pulse reaches the chamber it is attached to. In a way, impedance is the opposite. The lead wire may be intact, but if the insulation has failed, then the resistance in ohms will be reduced given the actual length of the lead, its diameter and the material is made of. Think of low impedance as a leak in a pipe. If the leak is small, then some water still gets through, but both the pressure and volume decrease at the discharge end. In your case some or most of the voltage and amperage is leaking out, This can reduce the amount of stimulation your heart receives and can also drain the battery prematurely. Its kinda hard to believe that both leads have insulation breaks. The odds are really low for that to happen, especially if the leads are new. Was this a replacement PM?

Leaky Pipe

by cheshirealice - 2014-01-09 05:01:11

Ah yes, that's a great way to explain it, a leaky pipe.

Yes this was my first replacement pacemaker. The EP put the new generator in and the leads were at 250ohms but then saw them drop by over half when I came in for follow up. I'm not sure how long the leads are but my current pacer is in my abdomen. My doctor is VERY conservative and wants to wait as long as possible before replacing this new one but it makes me nervous.

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