Pacemaker –  If your heart beat falls below the set rate, the pacemaker sends a painless stimulus to the heart to deliver a more normal heart rate. It  is a small electronic device with a battery-powered pulse generator and one or more wires, called leads, that is surgically implanted under the skin below the collarbone.

Defibrillator ( or ICD ) – Has pacemaker capabilities, but it’s primary role is to treat a heart beat which goes too fast. This is accomplished by delivering an electrical current to the heart, terminating an abnormal, life threatening heart rate within seconds after it’s detection, restoring the heart to it’s normal rhythm. This is a pager-sized device that is implanted under the skin and includes a pulse generator with electrodes that are connected to the heart.

Pacemakers and Defibrillator devices require regular checks to ensure they are working properly and to identify any potential problems. During on-site visits, the technician uses a small computer, called a programmer, to gather data from the pacemaker or defibrillator. A wand attached to the programmer is placed over the implant site and information about the device’s battery life, leads, settings and other data is collected and evaluated. If necessary, changes in the settings of the pacemaker or defibrillator can be made during the visit. This procedure is painless and takes about 15 minutes to complete.