Question 1

how effective is a pacemaker in preventing heart failure?

Accepted Answer

It's not: Heart failure can be the result of many different problems such as heart attacks which weaken the heart muscle, untreated hypertension which can leas to a stiff heart, or drug toxicity such as can occur with certain types of chemotherapy. Decrease your chances of developing heart failure by managing your identifed risk factors (i.e. Hypertension). A pacemaker may be needed in advanced heart failur.

Question 2

my husband grandmother is 95 and is becoming extremely  frail and ailing. his mum said  she thought is grandma did not have a pacemaker she would have past away. is this true? does the pacemaker keep her alive so she would not die of heart failure due to

Accepted Answer

Pacemakers: Pacemakers are for the treatment of conduction system abnormalities/failure and in certain instances can be life prolonging in advanced conduction system disease.

Question 3

can my dad who is 92 and has a pacemaker and defibulator still die from heart failure   his arteries are beginning to clog up again?

Accepted Answer

Yes: We all die from something. The ppm/aicd work to regulate rhythm and rate. CHF is more a disorder of inadequate "squeeze" by the muscle. "clogged" arteries can lead to heart attack / infarction, which is another problem altogther. Hope this helps.

Question 4

could i be having congestive heart failure i had a pacemaker put in last year because of atrial fib   i take diltiazem which was just increased to 360 mg from 240 mg  for the last few days and nights i am short of breath  i wake up short of breath seems t

Accepted Answer

If : If you are experiencing shortness of breath and difficulty breathing when laying down, these are signs of congestive heart failure, and more specifically left heart failure. In left heart failure, fluid builds up in the lungs causing shortness of breath and difficulty breathing when laying down. Fatigue is also a sign that your heart may be working too hard. See a doctor sooner than your appointment. Go to the emergency room to be assessed if you can not get in right away to see your cardiologist.

Question 5

my husband has perm a-fib. has had maze, conversions, hcm, mitral repair, pacemaker/defib, tikosyn (dofetilide) (stopped). left atrium 6.4 cm. will the afib lead to heart failure?

Accepted Answer

A Fib: With a left atrial size of >5 cm, he is in a high risk category. There is an nih trial that compares a number of procedures and summarizes the latest thinking on surgical and electrophysiological approaches to the problem: http://clinicaltrials.Gov/show/nct01298986. Ask your husband's cardiologist to check into this trial. It might be the best bet for him!

Question 6

are there effective herbal supplements that can prevent heart failure?

Accepted Answer

No: There are no supplements proven by reliable studies.

Question 7

can a heart failure pt with a pace maker take vitamins?

Accepted Answer

: Yes

Question 8

what if you have congestive heart failure and a pacemaker?

Accepted Answer

Bi-Ventricular?: Ideally you have or will have a biventricular pacemaker.  This type of pacemaker, pm, is designed for cardiac resynchronization therapy. It has 2 or 3 leads positioned to make the left ventricle contract at the same time - or in synchrony - as the right ventricle so that the heart beats in a more balanced way.  This therapy has been known to reduce symptoms and improve quality of life for some pt.

Question 9

dr. i had complete heart block and was told i was flat for 50 beats that didn't happen. i just got a pacemaker 4 days ago bit can't walk to long with out losing breath .i start out like superman and it feels like i am on kryptonite ,heart failure?

Accepted Answer

: I am not sure of the timing of your symptoms and or how stable you are. You should see a cardiologist as soon as you can. I don't have details sufficient to say you need to go to the emergency room but may need to.

Question 10

i have congestive heart failure and enlarged heart a pacemaker /defibrillator.i'm 26 years old. i was diagnosed six years ago.can i have another baby?

Accepted Answer

Hard to say: You need to discuss this with a cardiologist experienced with pregnancy issues as well as a high risk obstetrician.  Your answer is likely to be highly individualized.

Get Virtual Care

For Businesses

About Us

HealthTap Online Primary Care Doctors Accepting New Patients

Doctor answers about:

How effective is a pacemaker in preventing heart failure

A member asked:

How effective is a pacemaker in preventing heart failure?

A member asked:

My husband grandmother is 95 and is becoming extremely frail and ailing. his mum said she thought is grandma did not have a pacemaker she would have past away. is this true? does the pacemaker keep her alive so she would not die of heart failure due to

A member asked:

Can my dad who is 92 and has a pacemaker and defibulator still die from heart failure his arteries are beginning to clog up again?

A member asked:

Could i be having congestive heart failure i had a pacemaker put in last year because of atrial fib i take diltiazem which was just increased to 360 mg from 240 mg for the last few days and nights i am short of breath i wake up short of breath seems t

A member asked:

My husband has perm a-fib. has had maze, conversions, hcm, mitral repair, pacemaker/defib, tikosyn (dofetilide) (stopped). left atrium 6.4 cm. will the afib lead to heart failure?

A member asked:

Are there effective herbal supplements that can prevent heart failure?

A member asked:

Can a heart failure pt with a pace maker take vitamins?

A member asked:

What if you have congestive heart failure and a pacemaker?

A member asked:

Dr. i had complete heart block and was told i was flat for 50 beats that didn't happen. i just got a pacemaker 4 days ago bit can't walk to long with out losing breath .i start out like superman and it feels like i am on kryptonite ,heart failure?

A member asked:

I have congestive heart failure and enlarged heart a pacemaker /defibrillator.i'm 26 years old. i was diagnosed six years ago.can i have another baby?

HealthTap Online Primary Care Doctors Accepting New Patients

Telemedicine

Primary Care

Manage Your Conditions

Women's Health

Children's Health

Men's Health

Senior Health

Wellness, Prevention & Lifestyle

Sexual Health

Mental & Behavioral Health

Travel Medicine

Urgent Care

Didn't find what you're looking for?

More of what we treat

Allergies

Antibiotics

Asthma

High Blood Pressure

Prescriptions

Type 2 Diabetes

For Businesses

Company

Health Content

Join Us

Download HealthTap

Questions?