The functions of a pacemaker offer numerous benefits, including the ability to make a stable heart rhythm. However, the advantages and disadvantages of pacemakers cannot be easily separated, even though the benefits are evident.

The advantages and disadvantages of pacemakers include maintaining heart stability, preventing unwanted events, the risks of the implantation procedure, and not curing heart disease, which may be factors to consider when deciding whether to use one.

This article will inform you about some of the advantages and disadvantages of pacemakers that you can consider.

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Pacemaker

Like any other electronic device, a pacemaker has several advantages that can be utilized and disadvantages to consider. The advantages of pacemakers include maintaining heart stability, relieving symptoms of abnormal heart rhythms, preventing unwanted events, and improving quality of life. 

Meanwhile, the disadvantages include the risks of the implantation procedure, electromagnetic interference, not curing heart disease, and relatively high costs. The following are the advantages and disadvantages of pacemaker:

The Advantages of Pacemaker

Here are the advantages of placemaker

Maintaining heart stability

A pacemaker is an important device for maintaining heart stability. Abnormal heart rhythms, such as those that are too slow, too fast, or irregular, pose a risk to your safety. With this device, when you experience a heart rhythm disturbance, an electrical current will stimulate your heart to beat at a stable rhythm.

Relieving symptoms of abnormal heart rhythms

Abnormal heart rhythms cause other symptoms such as dizziness, shortness of breath, confusion, and fatigue. With a pacemaker, you will avoid or at least alleviate the risk of experiencing these symptoms.

Preventing unwanted events

With its ability to maintain heart stability, it not only alleviates the symptoms of other diseases that may be present but also prevents unwanted events. By ensuring that the heart continues to beat, it can prevent the risk of dangerous fainting and potentially save lives.

Improve quality of life

With a more stable heartbeat, life can continue normally without obstacles, and your quality of life will improve. You will still be able to carry out your daily activities as usual. It even allows you to exercise without significant restrictions. 

The Disadvantages of Pacemaker

Here are the disadvantages of placemaker

Risks of the implantation procedure

The installation of different types of pacemakers varies. Permanent pacemakers, in particular, require minor surgery to implant them under the skin. Although rare, this surgery still carries risks, such as infection, bleeding, or injury to blood vessels.

Electromagnetic interference

Pacemakers are electronic devices that are susceptible to electromagnetic interference. Certain electronic devices, such as cell phones or microwaves, can still cause interference. However, this risk is reduced in modern models that are more resistant to interference.

Does not cure heart disease

Your heart will be kept stable and protected from risks that can result from abnormal rhythms. However, pacemakers do not cure the underlying cause of heart disease, so they do not prevent heart disease or heart attacks.

Relatively high cost

Installing this device certainly requires a significant amount of money. Not only for the surgery and device installation, but pacemaker maintenance is also quite expensive. Not to mention the battery, which needs to be replaced every 5-15 years when it runs out of power.

Here are the advantages and disadvantages of pacemakers that need to be considered before deciding to use them. Despite its limitations, a pacemaker maintains heart stability, relieves symptoms of abnormal heart rhythms, prevents unwanted events, and improves quality of life.