When the heart beats too fast, it can fail to pump enough blood. An artificial pacemaker may be needed when the body's natural pacemaker is not sending proper signals to the heart muscle. An artificial pacemaker is a battery-operated machine that helps the heart muscle pump properly. Some pacemakers are permanently placed under the skin in the chest. Others are temporary and placed over the skin.
Wires connect to the heart.
One set of wires tells the pacemaker what the heart's contraction rate is. Another set of wires tells the heart to contract if the rate is too slow or too erratic. An artificial pacemaker maintains the rhythm of the heart. It can be set to increase the heart rate or to slow it down. Most pacemakers have a sensing device that turns itself off when the heartbeat is above a certain level.