A pacemaker is an implantable device that treats very slow heart rhythm abnormalities. There are a variety of reasons why patients heart rhythms can get too slow, but a pacemaker is a small implantable device that prevents patients heart rates from getting too low, and even can help give them heart rate response when theyÕre exercising or exerting themselves. They usually go under the skin of the left shoulder, and they watch patientsÕ heart rhythms all the time. And when the device notices that the patient has a slow heart rhythm, it will begin to pace and prevent them from getting too low of heart rates. There are a variety of patients who can benefit from pacemakers. Many of our patients are elderly, although not all of them. But any patient who has heart rhythms that are slow enough that itÕs putting them at risk for dizziness, passing out, or just having low energy and fatigue can benefit from a pacemaker. The wonderful thing about modern pacemakers is they donÕt limit patientsÕ lifestyle at all. Pacemakers are designed to get patients out there, and doing all the things that they want to do, and thereÕs really very little limitation that patients who have pacemakers experience. The University of Virginia pacemaker clinic provides comprehensive care for these devices. We donÕt just implant them; we also follow them, make sure that the programming of the device is adequate. And, should the patient have any problems with their pacemaker, weÕre fully set up to deal with any possible complications that can occur.