Pacemaker Side Effects: What to Expect After Implantation

A pacemaker is an electronic device inserted into the chest or abdomen of patients who have serious cardiac problems, such as irregular heartbeat. The device is connected to the heart through wires and programmed to regulate the heartbeat according to the needs of a patient. Pacemakers can cause some side effects during or after surgical insertion.

Other Electronic Devices

• After surgery, adverse side effects with pacemakers are usually associated with prolonged use of electronic devices such as iPods. This can disrupt the pacemaker's programming, according to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute.

Contact Sports

• Participating in full-contact sports such as football can disrupt one's pacemaker after surgery, according to the NHLBI.

Surgical Problems Risk

• The risk of having side effects due to pacemaker surgery is less than five percent, according to the NHLBI.

Severe Surgical Problems

• Severe side effects such as collapsed lung, difficult to treat infections, blood vessel or nerve damage, and allergic reaction to anesthesia can result from pacemaker surgery, according to the NHLBI.

Moderate Surgical Problems

• Moderate side effects such as bleeding, bruising, swelling, or infection in the pacemaker insertion site can also occur after surgery, according to the NHLBI.