Cardiac Assist Devices

Put Your Heart in the Right Place

To talk with the heart and vascular specialists at Cottage Health, call 1-844-51-HEART, or visit the Heart & Vascular Physician team page.

When your heart needs help to beat properly, you may be a candidate for one of several cardiac assist devices or therapies from the cardiovascular specialists at Cottage Health on California’s Central Coast. You’ll work with our experienced physicians, surgeons and therapists to determine the best approach for your specific situation.

Pacemakers

A small medical device placed in the chest, a pacemaker helps control abnormal heart rhythms by using electrical pulses to prompt the heart to beat at a normal rate. A pacemaker often eliminates arrhythmia symptoms and helps improve your quality of life and activity levels. Pacemakers may be used to treat common heart rhythm disorders, including:

  • Bradycardia – Slow heart rhythm
  • Syncope – Temporary loss of consciousness (fainting or passing out) from loss of blood flow to the brain; may indicate a heart rhythm problem
  • Tachycardia – Rapid heart rhythm

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Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators

Arrhythmias may also be treated with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). Similar to a pacemaker, an ICD uses both low-energy and high-energy electrical pulses to treat life-threatening heart rhythm disorders. When your heart beats irregularly, an ICD device provides a shock to restore a normal rhythm. ICD implantation is the surgical insertion of an ICD.

Cardiac Resynchronization

Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT), also known as biventricular pacing, uses an implantable device like the pacemaker to coordinate and synchronize heart contractions. CRT often helps improve symptoms of heart failure. If you live with congestive heart failure (CHF), ask your Cottage Health cardiologist for an evaluation to determine if you might be a candidate for CRT.