Thursday, April 4, 2013

What does the pacemaker do in the circulatory system?

The circulatory system is made up of the heart and the blood vessels transporting blood to and from the heart. To keep blood circulating continuously within the circulatory system, the heart must continue to pump blood in a synchronised manner without fail.


This is made possible by a natural pacemaker called the sinus node, which sends electrical impulses across the heart muscle to bring about continuous contraction of the heart.


Certain medical conditions may cause the heart to beat too slowly (bradycardia) or disrupt the movement of electrical signals across the heart (heart block). In such circumstances, an artificial pacemaker is fitted to take over the role of the sinus node, the natural pacemaker, by generating electrical impulses to stimulate the heart to contract and bring about a heartbeat.


An artificial pacemaker is a small electrical device with a battery powered electronic circuit called the pulse generator and one or more electrode leads, which correct the abnormal heart rhythms.

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