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Definition of Cardiac pacemaker
1. Noun. A specialized bit of heart tissue that controls the heartbeat.
Medical Definition of Cardiac pacemaker
1. An electrical device which delivers a small stimulant shock to the heart to effect cardiac contraction at a pre-determined rate. Many of today's pacemakers have two main components: the electrodes and the transducer (pulse generator). The electrodes are wires which are placed into the circulatory system and make physical contact with the heart muscle. A small electrical discharge from the pacemaker electrode stimulates the muscular wall of the heart to contract, thus pumping blood in an organised fashion. The transducer is a small device, usually implanted under the skin, that generates the electrical discharge at a pre-determined frequency. Transducers can monitor your heart's rate of contraction and deliver an electrical shock only when the heart is going too slow. (27 Sep 1997)