A pacemaker is a small device, about the size of a half dollar
piece, that's placed under the skin near your heart to help
control your heartbeat. A pacemaker is implanted as part of
what's often referred to as "cardiac resynchronization therapy."
People may need a pacemaker for a variety of reasons — mostly
due to one of a group of conditions called arrhythmias, in which
the heart's rhythm is abnormal. Normal aging of the heart may
disrupt your heart rate, making it beat too slowly. Heart muscle
damage resulting from a heart attack is another common cause of
disruptions of your heartbeat. Some medications can affect your
heart rate as well. For some, genetic conditions cause an
abnormal heart rate. Regardless of the underlying cause of an
abnormal heart rate, a pacemaker may fix it. A pacemaker can
often be implanted in your chest with a minor surgery. You may
need to take some precautions in your daily life after your
pacemaker is installed. Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., is
ranked among the Best Hospital