Heart Health
What is a leadless pacemaker?
Today, nearly everyone who needs a pacemaker could be eligible for a new type that's smaller and safer.
- Reviewed by Christopher P. Cannon, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Heart Letter; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
If a slow or abnormal heart rhythm makes you dizzy or breathless or causes you to faint, you may need a pacemaker. These battery-powered devices constantly monitor your heartbeat and, if needed, send an electrical pulse to trigger a beat. As many as three million Americans have a pacemaker, and each year, another 200,000 get one.
Implanted in 1958, the very first pacemaker had multiple components, including a pulse generator about the size of a hockey puck. A modern-day pacemaker has a pulse generator about the size of two stacked silver dollars. This is implanted under the skin by the collarbone and connected to the heart by one or more flexible wires called leads (pronounced "leeds"; see top image). But today, there are also leadless pacemakers no bigger than a multivitamin pill — an advance that has dramatically reduced the risk of complications from these devices.
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About the Author
Julie Corliss, Executive Editor, Harvard Heart Letter
About the Reviewer
Christopher P. Cannon, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Heart Letter; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
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