A new type of pacemaker is being implanted in the Cardiology Department of UMBAL Burgas. They have a different principle of operation and have been used only recently in Bulgaria and for several years in Europe. Dr. Ivaneta Yoncheva, a specialist in internal medicine and cardiology, spoke to FACT on the topic. She works in the Cardiology Department of UMBAL Burgas. She heads the office for monitoring and surveillance of patients with pacemakers, defibrillators and resynchronization devices. She is the only one in the region who places and maintains permanent pacemakers, known as pacemakers. She has implanted over 3,000 devices in her practice.
- Dr. Yoncheva, how sick is the Bulgarian heart. And most of all, why…
- The truth is that Bulgaria has a high incidence of cardiovascular diseases and there are many factors behind this - such as a sedentary lifestyle and progressively increasing obesity, unhealthy diet with a higher intake of salt and animal fats, as well as a low level of prevention.
- Do Bulgarians pay attention to their health, or do we run to the doctor when something happens to us?
- Bulgarians usually go to the doctor when they have serious complaints. A significant number even wait until the last moment or when they are already in serious condition. This puts doctors in a serious predicament, because treating the disease in the early stages is always easier. There are also such patients who visit a doctor regularly and undergo preventive examinations, but they are relatively small in percentage.
- When is it necessary to insert a pacemaker?
- A pacemaker is a device that is inserted in patients with a low heart rate. This way, the heart rate is maintained within optimal limits and the quality of life is improved.
- There is already a new type on the market. Tell us about it, how is it different?
- In reality, these are not new pacemakers. The method of stimulating the heart is different. Previous pacemakers activated the heart muscle on the right side. In some patients, this led to the development of heart failure over time. The new method stimulates the heart on the left side, and thus the risk of adverse consequences in subsequent years is minimized.
- Why is the number of implanted pacemakers constantly increasing? How do you explain it…
- The number of patients who need a pacemaker has definitely increased worldwide in recent decades. This is on the one hand related to the increased life expectancy of people, and on the other hand, the improved survival rate of patients with chronic heart disease.
- Why are patients with heart disease increasing…
- The number of patients with heart disease is increasing for several reasons - as we said, an unhealthy lifestyle leads to the appearance of high blood pressure, cardiac arrhythmias and ischemic heart disease in younger people. This is the reason why the main efforts of health institutions are focused on educating the population on how to protect themselves from the development of heart disease and how to conduct proper prevention.
- Is a pacemaker the option that can postpone heart failure in time…
- No, pacemakers are placed at a low heart rate, but the new method of stimulating the heart on the left side instead of the right (in the most figurative and simplified terms), can reduce the risk of developing heart failure in patients with a pacemaker.
- How many devices do you place on an annual basis?
- Over the past year, we have placed over 120 devices, but the number of patients seeking consultation and coming to UMHAL Burgas for cardiac pacing is increasing every month. This speaks of the growing trust of Burgas patients in our team, for which we thank them.