Not all patients with bradycardia need a pacemaker. Only patients with excessively slow heart rate, ineffective drug treatment, and frequent fatigue, shortness of breath, dizziness, fainting, etc., need a pacemaker.
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How much does it cost to install a pacemaker for the elderly?
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25 October, 2022Join Hello Bacsi to learn about the cost of placing a pacemaker as well as the process that the patient will have to go through when implanting.
Why is a pacemaker needed?
Pacemakers are used to treat an arrhythmia, a bradycardia caused by failure of the SA node, the AV node, or a blockage in the path that carries impulses from the AV node to the network. His-Purkinje (2nd or 3rd degree atrioventricular block). In addition, pacemakers are also used to treat unexplained syncope, heart failure, and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
How much does a pacemaker cost?
Because there are many different types of machines, the cost of a pacemaker also fluctuates with many prices. Normally, surgery and the cost of placing a 1-chamber and 2-chamber pacemaker are priced at between 52 million and 90 million. High-end pacemakers can cost more than 200 million VND.
In case of having health insurance, the patient will be entitled to 80% if there is a hospital transfer certificate, and 40% for out-of-network cases.
What tests do you need to do before implanting a pacemaker?
Before doctors decide if an elderly person needs a pacemaker, they need to do some tests to find the cause of their irregular heartbeat. Tests performed prior to implantation of a pacemaker may include:
- Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG). This test is usually quick and painless to measure the electrical activity of the heart. Patches (also called electrodes) are placed on the chest and sometimes on the arms and legs. The wire connecting the electrodes to the computer will display the test results. An electrocardiogram can show whether an elderly person’s heart is beating too fast or too slow.
- Monitor Holter. A Holter recorder is a small device that can be worn to monitor heart rate. Your doctor may ask you to wear a Holter heart rate monitor for 1 to 2 days. During that time, the device will record all of the patient’s heart rhythms, which can be used to diagnose possible heart rhythm problems. Some personal items, such as smartwatches, may provide electrocardiogram monitoring.
- Echocardiography. This noninvasive test uses sound waves to create images of the size, structure, and movement of the heart.
- Stress test . Some heart problems only happen when you exercise. For the stress test, an electrocardiogram is taken before and immediately after walking on a treadmill or riding a stationary bike.
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Procedure for placing a pacemaker
Preparation step
The doctor may tell the person needing the implant to stop taking certain medications to control the heart rhythm. Also, if you have diabetes, you can ask your doctor how to adjust your diabetes medication or blood insulin levels.
Before surgery, you can still eat a normal meal the night before. However, you absolutely should not eat or drink, chew anything after 12 o’clock the night before surgery, including gum, mint, drink water… If the patient has to take medicine, only drink it. medicine with small sips of water. When brushing their teeth, they are also not allowed to swallow any sips of water.
Before having a pacemaker implanted, the patient should remove all makeup or nail polish (if applicable), and choose only comfortable clothing. If the patient is taking any medication, you can bring him a day of medicine to reserve. However, as mentioned, patients should not take these medications without first consulting with their doctor.
A medicine will be given intravenously to help the person relax and make them feel drowsy. However, they will not sleep during the surgery.
Surgical process
- Defibrillator/pacemaker/pacemaker: Attached to an adhesive patch placed in the center of the back and a patch on the chest. This allows doctors and nurses to correct a patient’s heart rate if it is beating too slowly or to provide energy to the heart if it is too fast.
- Electrocardiogram EKG: Attached to several sticky electrode patches placed on the chest, as well as inside the heart. This device will provide on-screen images of electrical impulses traveling through the heart.
- Blood pressure monitor: Connected to a blood pressure monitor on the arm, used to check the patient’s blood pressure during surgery.
- Oxygen monitor: Attached to a small clip placed on the patient’s finger, used to check the oxygen level in the blood.
- Fluoroscopy: A large X-ray machine will be placed above the patient to help doctors see the leads on the X-ray screen during the procedure.
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Post-implantation surgery
Initially, the patient will feel a burning or stinging sensation when the doctor injects local anesthetic. Soon, the area will become numb. You may feel a seizure when the doctor creates a pocket in the tissue under your skin to place the pacemaker. When the leads are being checked, you may feel your heart rate increase or your heart beat faster. You can tell your doctor what symptoms you’re feeling. If the person feels pain, tell the doctor immediately so that it can be corrected in time. Typically, pacemaker implantation can take 2 to 5 hours.
After surgery, the patient has a chest X-ray to check the lungs and the position of the pacemaker and the leads. Before the patient is discharged from the hospital, the Holter monitor will be removed and the results provided to the doctor for further monitoring.
Older adults may experience discomfort at the pacemaker implantation site for the first 48 hours after surgery. Your doctor will tell you what medications you can take to relieve pain. In addition, patients should inform their doctors or nurses if pain symptoms persist or become progressively more severe.
Symptoms
Complications related to pacemaker surgery are uncommon, but patients may still experience some cases such as:
- Infection near the heart site where the device is implanted
- Swelling, bruising, or bleeding at the site of the pacemaker, especially if you are taking blood thinners
- Blood clot (thromboembolism) near the pacemaker site
- Damage to blood vessels or nerves near the pacemaker
- Atelectasis (pneumothorax)
- Hemorrhage between the lungs and chest wall (hemothorax)
- Move (displace) equipment or wires
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If abnormal symptoms are detected during the use of a pacemaker, the patient should immediately go to the hospital for immediate examination. In case the machine is still working well, the patient needs to go for regular check-ups about every 6 months so that the doctor can monitor the best condition.
