A pacemaker is a battery-powered device about the size of a
pocket watch that sends weak electrical impulses to "set a pace"
so that the heart is able to maintain a regular heartbeat. Some
people who have atrial fibrillation need a pacemaker. There are
two basic types of pacemakers. All new pacemakers are rate-
response, or physiologic, pacemakers. They can sense when your
activity increases and respond by increasing your heart rate.
Rate-responsive pacemakers are often the ideal choice for active
people. These pacemakers closely reproduce natural heart rhythms
and are able to raise heart rate in response to physical
activity. Your doctor can decide how fast the pacemaker should
respond and how quickly your heart rate should return to a
resting rate. Permanent pacemakers are surgically implanted into
the chest. The procedure to implant a pacemaker is considered
minor surgery. It can usually be done using local anesthesia.
The procedure takes about an hour. Permanent pacemakers are
powered by batteries. The bat