Know Your Pacemaker
Patients should understand their pacemakers and carry a card providing information on the rate and pulse width settings, as well as the pacemaker brand, model and serial number.
Pacemaker Follow-Up Clinic
An organized system of follow-up is important for all pacemaker patients, and this is best done through membership in a formal pacemaker follow-up clinic. The follow-up clinic can involve periodic outpatient visits or simply over-the-phone checkups. Both methods have their advantages.
Periodic visits to a clinic make possible a detailed evaluation of the pacemaker, including such measures as determining pulse width threshold as a basis for establishing the long-term setting of the pulse width. However, these manipulations are seldom necessary, clinically, and the greater convenience of the telephone clinic makes it a more popular method of follow‑up.
