Post surgery effects of pacemaker

  Hi,
  I'm a 59 year old woman and recently collapsed at work from ventricular
  tachycardia. It was diagnosed as acute and due to cardiomyopathy and
  pulmonary hypertension.  An implantable pacemaker was used to regulate my
  heart rate. I now suffer from chronic fatigue and lack of breath. Is
  this normal and will it last forever?

[CCF Cardio MD - MTR]

_
Dear A. Bryce, thank you for your question.  Ventricular tachycardia (VT) can be caused by
a variety of causes and the treatment depends on the cause.  The most common cause of VT is
scarring of the heart muscle from a heart attack but other causes include cardiomyopathy
not related to coronary artery disease, congenital heart malformations, electrolyte
disturbances, and certain drug side-effects.  I wonder what the cause of your cardiomyopathy
is and whether that is the cause of your pulmonary hypertension.  Usually, we do a test
called an EP study where the ventricular tachycardia is stimulated by catheters placed
in the heart.  If the VT is induced, patients are treated with implantable debrillators/
pacemakers and often anti-arrhythmic drugs.  You mention that you had a pacemaker implanted
for your VT so I presume that the VT was related to a slow heart rhythym.  A pacemaker
would keep your heart rate above a certain rate and would keep you from having a pause
or slow heart rhythym that could potentiate VT.  Currently, there are new devices that
employ both pacemakers and defibrillators as a dual strategy for VT.  Defibrillators
continuously monitor the heart rhythym and deliver an internal shock when VT is detected.
The symptoms you describe probably are related to your cardiomyopathy which causes congestive
heart failure.  Fatigue, shortness of breath, and lethargy are common symptoms of heart
failure.  I suspect that your cardiomyopathy and VT are related and that your symptoms
are related to the heart failure.  There are many medications that can be used to treat
heart failure and that can improve your symptoms.  I would suggest that you speak to your
physician about your symptoms and about the treatment of your VT.  Maybe some of the
options I mention in this response would be helpful for you.  I hope you find this
information useful.