Steady heartbeat?

My recently (Feb 5th, 2020) implanted St.Jude Assurity MRI, PM isn't keeping my heart beating at a steady rate, which had been my expectation.

Instead, I see a variation between 50BPM - 100+BPM.

This occurs even when I am, or have been, resting. Sometimes it happens when I am walking around the house but not really being active in the sense of exercise. I am certainly not exerting myself.

Is this normal and to be expected or should I be concerned?

4 Comments

Variable heart rate

by AgentX86 - 2020-02-15 01:07:30

As we say here, "A pacemaker is only an accelerator.  It's not a brake."  It can only make your heart go faster;  It can't slow the heart.  If you have an arrhythmia, it'll go right through. Do you have any history of arrhythia?

AgentX86 - Hi, Thank you for your feedback.

by Theowen - 2020-02-15 02:45:03

Hi, Thank you for your feedback. To the best of my knowledge, I don't have a history of arrythymia. I'm sure my G.P would have told me, because, beung Type 2 Diabectic I have to see him for regular checkups. 

I had imagined a PM would have regulated my heart to a steady, regular beat. I t seems this is not the case. But, if as you say, the PM is not a brake, then if my heartrate decides to bounce up, so be it.

I'm having a follow up check in four days and I'll ask the Cardio that question.

 

Theowen - I was disappointed initially too . . .

by Gemita - 2020-02-15 08:28:46

I too found myself querying the efficacy of my pacemaker when it appeared to let my heart rate dip occasionally below the minimum set rate of 70 bpm and go way above a comfortable, safe heart rate on other occasions but I do have arrhythmias and a pacemaker unfortunately cannot control these, only medication and/or an ablation can help with this.  I am not disappointed though because my pacemaker seems to be filling in many “pauses” and stimulating my heart to beat more quickly which seems to keep my pulse steady most of the time.  

When I had my dual chamber pacemaker implanted in May 2018 I did experience a worsening of my palpitations and other symptoms (breathlessness, weakness, chest pain, fatigue) for a few months and my heart rate was often very high, especially at rest.  For me it seemed to be due to the trauma of PM implant, to being paced and to the need for a medication review.  Anti arrhythmics Flecainide and Digoxin have now been stopped and beta blocker Bisoprolol dosage has been lowered and I can honestly say that I am feeling so much better and my heart is steadier.

It could be that you are experiencing some side effects of being paced and that a few adjustments to your settings is all that will be needed but it is still very early days.  You may be having a few arrhythmias (for example tachycardia and ectopics) but these will hopefully settle down.  

I would ask your pacemaker technicians/EP whether your first PM interrogation shows any signs of arrhythmias to account for your variation in heart rate??  Presumably your diabetes is well under control since fluctuating blood glucose can be a cause of palpitations, so worth getting a few general health checks too.

Good luck 

Thank you Gemita

by Theowen - 2020-02-15 17:43:49

Hi Gemita,

Thank you for your feedback. As my implant was very recent, I'm still at the stage of not knowing what it will and won't do. I guess I have a lot to learn.

At this point, I don't know if my PM has been calibrated to a "paced rate" but will ask the technician when I see her on Wednesday. In fact, I have a whole list of questions for her, so hopefully, will come away knowing more than I do now.

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