What is normal % of pacemaker use?

What is normal? Just had mine checked for the first time and technician told me is is functioning 65% of the time. Set at 60. I knew that as I wear an Apple Watch that is reading 60 most of the time. I was Bradychardia so I guess thats good....not sleeping all the time. But what is normal use?

6 Comments

Depends

by nhorner10 - 2020-01-20 14:44:23

It totally depends on the individual and your condition, so "normal" can be anywhere between 1-100%.

Thank you

by Lexitoo - 2020-01-20 17:31:49

That seems to be sound! I appreciate your comment.

Don't muddle 100% paced with pacemaker dependent

by crustyg - 2020-01-20 17:34:27

As nhorner10 rigthtly says, there's no such thing as 'normal' level of pacing.

FWIW, I'm 100% paced (natural, resting unpaced HR of about 38bpm, lower rate limit when paced 50bpm), but if my PM stopped tonight it wouldn't kill me - I'm not pacemaker dependent.

Don't read too much into percentage paced. What matters is that your symptoms (from brady) have gone, and you can live your life as you wish unconstrained by lack of heart output.

same here

by dwelch - 2020-01-21 11:46:34

same here lower chambers 100% but if it stopped I wouldnt die.

OTOH

by AgentX86 - 2020-01-21 14:33:51

I am dependent with no known escape rhythm (AV+His ablation - no junctional rhythm), so there is that possibility. I certainly wouldn't retmain conscious.

The right percentage

by Gotrhythm - 2020-01-22 14:16:10

There is no "normal." The only thing that matters about percentage paced is how you feel. And how you feel is very dependent upon adjusting the pacemaker to the base rate that works for you. The higher the base rate the more you wil be paced. The base rate can be 50,60,70,80 beats per minute. 

How do you know what what base rate is right? Well, it all depends on how you feel.

Do you sense a theme here?

The fact is there aren't any external standards for the "right" settings, or the "right" percentages. In fact, there are no external standards at all. Your settings are arrived at by guesswork. Educated guesswork, yes, but it's still trial and error to get the settings and percentages that suport your feeling the best you can.

Hopefully so that you will feel "normal."

 

 

 

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