Pacemaker Settings

Does anybody know what settings can be set? I am a software engineer and would like to learn what can be configured and what can not .. I have a dual chamber Medtronic - Thx in advance :-)

6 Comments

Web Site

by chip - 2008-12-28 05:12:00

Check out Medyronics web site - some manuals are avaliable there!

http://manuals.medtronic.com/OrderManagement

:)

Thank You

by ppt - 2008-12-28 07:12:35

Yep - found the manual for my model. Found the section on Programmable Parameters too. Thank you so much. So much to learn :-))

paging Frank!

by Tracey_E - 2008-12-28 10:12:20

Frank can tell you all sorts of stuff,and tell you where to go to learn more. He's da bomb when it comes to understanding settings.

da bomb!!

by ElectricFrank - 2008-12-29 01:12:16

Hi,
I'm an electronic biomedical engineer and programmer so have had the same interest. I finally had to build my own ECG so I could keep track of the pacer operation.

As chip mentioned above you can download the technical manual from Medtronics. It takes some reading and studying to make sense of some of it depending on your background. Be sure and ask for a copy of both the pre and post programming report at each checkup. If you can arrange a checkup with the Medtronics rep it would be helpful. My experience has been that they are very knowledgeable and willing to take time to answer your questions.

I have found that cardiologists in general aren't very knowledgeable about pacemakers. They aren't electronic types and don't understand triggering and synchronization very well. Their field is plumbing and meds.They have a tendency to mess up the programming and then throw meds at the problem. The technician or nurse types are strictly procedural and follow the cardiologist's instructions.

One additional hint in dealing with the Medtronic rep. Be aware that medical protocol dictates that he can't make programming decisions or even recommendations to the cardio when you are in the room. However, if you ask him about changing a setting he can then convey it to the cardio. As an example at my second checkup I ask the rep if opening up my lower and upper limits would be a good idea. He called the cardio in and told him I wanted the limits widened. After assuring the cardio that I didn't intend to overdo my exercise level he agreed.

If I can help any further post it here or drop me a private note.

good luck,

frank (da bomb!!!)

For Frank

by zutie - 2009-01-14 02:01:41

Do you think that an interrogation can cause harm to a pacemaker, and give a person Pacemaker syndrome? I went in for a check and walked out feeling lousy. As the day went on, my heart was beating in my throat, headache, neck pain, hearing my heartbeat in my ears, felt blood rushing up my neck. These symptoms persisted for five months while they tried adjustments. They tweaked it about 5 times and then said, "let's shut it off because you don't really need it." I think they messed it up and that was the only choice. (Although I always knew it worked only if my heart went below 50 beats and I wasn't using it much) My pacemaker is a 1992 model.

Any thoughts?

Wow!

by BillMFl - 2009-01-20 11:01:42

Who is "they"? If your pacemaker was working fine before your interrogation and lousy after, somebody changed your settings and may not know how to set it right. Have you seen a factory rep? They usually know their devices vey well. I once had a new rep activate a setting that was intended to give heart failure patients a "boost" when they got up and moved around. I have excellent ejection fraction and didn't need a boost. But when I stood up or turned quickly my pulse immediately shot up to my max setting of 120. It was rediculous. The next day I had to meet the rep at a nearby hotel he was at so he could turn off the accelerometer or whatever he called it. Sounds to me like they may have made your AV delay setting too short and you were getting severe PVCs or someting like that. I'd getr a second opinion if I were you.

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