What Is A Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy Device?

A CRT device is a device implanted under the skin, typically just below the collarbone. The device delivers therapies to coordinate the heart’s pumping action and treats fast, irregular, or slow heart rhythms depending on the type of CRT device. This device may also be referred to as a heart failure device, biventricular device, three-lead CRT device, CRT-P (pacemaker), or a CRT-D (defibrillator). Leads are thin, soft insulated wires about the size of a spaghetti noodle. The leads carry the electrical impulse from the CRT device to your heart and relay information about the heart’s activity back to the CRT device.

What Is Heart Failure?

Heart failure is a condition where the heart muscle is weakened and is not able to efficiently pump blood. The term heart failure does not mean your heart has stopped pumping; rather, your heart muscle is not able to pump enough blood to meet your body’s needs. as a result, you may feel tired, lack energy, experience shortness of breath, and notice excess fluid collecting in your body. The heart is a fist-sized organ that acts as a pump to send oxygen-rich blood throughout the body. In a healthy heart, each chamber contracts (squeezes) in a coordinated effort; the upper chambers (atria) of the heart contract first, then the lower chambers (ventricles) contract. These coordinated contractions circulate blood between the lungs and heart and to the rest of the body. if the heart is not beating in a coordinated fashion, then the body will not receive an adequate amount of blood to function properly.

Symptoms Of Heart Failure

Heart failure is a progressive condition, meaning it will gradually worsen. At first you might not experience any symptoms, but over time your heart’s pumping ability will continue to weaken and you may experience some or all of the following symptoms: Chronic lack of energy Difficulty sleeping at night due to breathing problems Confusion and/or impaired memory increased urination at night Swelling of feet and legs Shortness of breath Swollen or tender abdomen with loss of appetite Cough with frothy sputum.

Causes Of Heart Failure

Heart failure usually develops slowly after an injury to the heart. There is no single cause, and sometimes the cause is unknown. Some of the most common causes of heart failure are: p revious heart attack (myocardial infarction) Coronary artery disease High blood pressure (hypertension) Heart valve disease infection of the heart (myocarditis) Congenital heart disease (condition you were born with) endocarditic (infection of the heart’s inner lining) diabetes (the body does not produce or properly use insulin).

How Does A Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy Device Work?

A cardiac resynchronization therapy device is designed to monitor your heart rhythm 24 hours a day. it sends electrical pulses to pace the lower chambers of your heart to help them beat in a more coordinated rhythm. This coordinating or “resynchronization” therapy improves the heart’s ability to pump blood and oxygen more efficiently to the body. Your doctor will program the CRT device to deliver the most effective therapies for your specific heart condition.