We bust some pacemaker myths

Posted on 14 May 2013

Rumours abound about what you can and cannot do once you have had a cardiac pacemaker installed, but with rare exception your lifestyle is unlikely to change. Mediclinic Morningside cardiologist, Dr Leonard Steingo, looks at some of the myths around pacemakers…

Now I’ll have to slow down.
This is not so. Many people with pacemakers are golfers, play tennis, scuba dive and even run marathons. In the first month you will be advised to take it easy but thereafter there is no reason while your lifestyle should change, in fact you might have more breath now that your heartbeat is regular. The only thing you might want to avoid is full contact sport which might damage your pacemaker.

I won’t be able to use a microwave oven or my power tools…
Some of the myths and notions around pacemakers are historic and therefore outdated, and this is one of them. This may have been correct in the past, but is not true of modern pacemakers. You can use all household appliances – TVs, TV remote controls, toasters, electric blankets, drills and tools.

However you may want to avoid exposure to arc-welding equipment and heavy-duty industrial motors that might generate interfering magnetic fields. Stand at least half a metre from power-generating equipment. If you are concerned about equipment you work with, speak to your doctor.

I won’t be able to use a cellphone.
You can use a cellphone, however it is a good precaution to keep it away from your pacemaker. In other words hold it to the ear opposite the pacemaker side and avoid keeping it in breast pocket near your pacemaker. It is unlikely, but you wouldn’t want it to interfere with your pacemaker.

My travelling days over.
You can travel at will, and it’s safe to pass through airport security systems as you ordinarily would. Just don’t forget your identification card that states you have a pacemaker. If airport security insist upon using a metal-detecting wand, tell them you have a pacemaker so that they don’t linger in that area.

Medical equipment can be dangerous.
It is always best to remind doctors that you have a pacemaker. Medical procedures that use intensive exposure to electromagnetic energy, such as an MRI scan (magnetic resonance imaging), radiation for the treatment of cancer, shock waves to break up large kidney or gallstones or electrocautery to control bleeding during surgery could interfere with your pacemaker.

Now my heart is in tiptop condition.
Having a pacemaker does not mean that you can stop your medication. Most people with pacemakers still take medication for such conditions as high blood pressure, angina, heart rhythm problems and such like.

It also won’t protect you from the possibility of a heart attack. While there are modern pacemakers which can help to strengthen the heart muscle, you can’t depend upon it to strengthen your heart or prevent blockages, so keep up a healthy lifestyle, make sure you exercise and eat well.

Remember If you have any doubts, chat to your doctor.

To read more about how a pacemaker is fitted and what to expect after the procedure, click here.

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Dr Razeen Gopal talks about pacemakers:

The information provided in this article was correct at the time of publishing. At Mediclinic we endeavour to provide our patients and readers with accurate and reliable information, which is why we continually review and update our content. However, due to the dynamic nature of clinical information and medicine, some information may from time to time become outdated prior to revision.