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On the March 25th episode of his podcast, arnold’s pump club, terminator Actor and former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has revealed that he underwent surgery at the Cleveland Clinic to have a pacemaker installed.
“Last Monday, I had surgery to become a little more mechanical. I was fitted with a pacemaker,” he said. true lie actor. Sharing his health issues goes against his upbringing in Austria, where “no one ever talks about medical issues,” but Schwarzenegger is determined to be transparent with his audience.
The 76-year-old shared a photo of himself wearing the device on Instagram, thanking people for kind messages from around the world.He also reassured fans of his own TV show hubard “It will be ready for filming in April. You can only see it (the device) if you are really looking for it.”
He continued on the podcast: “I’ve received so many messages and emails from people who, like me, were born with a bicuspid aortic valve, telling me that talking about my valve replacement surgery has given them courage and hope.” Their own . ”
What is a pacemaker and what is its function?
A pacemaker is a small, battery-powered device that prevents the heart from beating too slowly, says Associate Professor of Medicine, cardiologist and director of electrophysiology at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist in Winston-Salem. says Patrick Whalen, MD. North Carolina.
The purpose of a pacemaker is to keep the heart beating at a normal rhythm. If the device senses your heartbeat is too slow, it sends electrical signals to correct your heartbeat.
Who needs a pacemaker?
Pacemakers treat heart failure, which occurs when the heart cannot pump enough blood to the body. Pacemakers are also used to treat certain types of irregular heartbeats or arrhythmias, but not everyone with an arrhythmia needs a pacemaker.
“People often ask whether pacemakers can cure atrial fibrillation (afib), an irregular and often very fast heart rhythm. Pacemakers prevent the heart rate from dropping too low, but they do not cure atrial fibrillation. ” says Dr. Whalen.
People born with heart defects may eventually need a pacemaker
- Use of beta-blockers, which are blood pressure-lowering drugs that can slow the heart rate
- heart attack
- heart transplant
- Certain congenital (born-born conditions) heart defects
Most people with a bicuspid aortic valve may not even know they have the disease because the valve has been functioning normally for many years.
Over time, usually in middle age, these valve leaflets can become thicker and stiffer than normal, causing aortic valve stenosis, in which the valve doesn’t open as easily when the heart is compressed. As a result, the left side of the heart has to work much harder than normal. Over time, it can also damage the heart muscle and cause symptoms of heart failure.
It is not clear why people are born with this condition, but it often runs in families. Schwarzenegger’s mother and grandmother also had bicuspid valves.
The actor credits medical innovation and “his dedication to staying in touch with his doctors and listening to them” as the reason he’s still alive. He said his mother refused to have her valve replacement surgery, which resulted in her death.
Schwarzenegger has had heart surgery in the past.
The actor said on the podcast that he had a pacemaker implanted on the advice of his doctors. “The time had come to make this decision because my heartbeat was irregular due to scar tissue from my previous surgery. It had been like that for several years.”
Schwarzenegger first had his heart valve replaced in 1997, and again 21 years later in 2018. The lifespan of a valve is typically 12 to 15 years. He told listeners that the actor only had one replaced because there were complications during his second surgery, and he had the other replaced in 2020.
Arnold has already returned to his previous energy levels
According to the actor, it has only been a week since the pacemaker was implanted and his energy levels are already back to normal. “That’s one of the things you learn about irregular heartbeats. Your heart gets tired from having to work extra hard,” he says.
A rapid recovery is fairly typical, Whalen said. “Most patients go home the same day or the next day after having a pacemaker,” he says.
Pacemakers can improve quality of life
The whole point of a pacemaker is that it allows you to do as much or more than you can without a pacemaker, Whalen says. “Thanks to this device, many people will be able to be more active and hopefully live longer without going to the hospital,” he says.
After the procedure, patients see their doctor a few weeks later and once a year thereafter. The pacemaker also sends reports directly to her doctor every three months. If an arrhythmia is detected, the pacemaker notifies the doctor immediately.
Signs you need a pacemaker
- chest pain
- abnormally fast or slow heart rate
- arrhythmia
- palpitations
- shortness of breath
- Unexplained dizziness, lightheadedness, nausea, or fainting
- unexplained confusion
- Swelling in the ankles, legs, or abdomen
- Waking up multiple times during the night to pee
Near the end of the podcast, Schwarzenegger gave listeners one final word of encouragement. “We want you to know you’re not alone. And if you’re putting something off out of fear, we urge you to listen to your doctor and take care of yourself.” I would appreciate it if you could.”
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