ACS Q&A – Dr. Walton: What Are the Benefits of a Pacemaker?

A pacemaker is a device that is implanted in someone who has an excessively slow heart rate. It helps the heart maintain a normal, natural pace.

A pacemaker does not necessarily keep the heart in a normal rhythm. However, some people require medications to help control an abnormal heart rhythm. Those medications can cause the heart rate to slow down too much. In these cases, a pacemaker may be implanted to prevent the heart from beating too slowly while allowing the medications to keep the heart from beating too fast.

In general, slow heart rates are treated with a pacemaker.