Thread: Friend with Pacemaker

I have a friend who has a pacemaker and he wants to do some gear. I told him he is nuts but he swears that the pacemaker simply keeps his heart beating right if it slows down. Anyone know if it is okay for someone to do gear if they have a pacemaker?

I don’t know that anyone should even answer something like this unless they’re a cardiologist or qualified medical professional... but to each their own. Ultimately if he doesn’t want to ask the doctor his thoughts regarding it or doing the research himself, then that risk is his and his alone to make. Imo

Being given a second chance at life why would you even wanna risk it?? The way I see it they won’t just run one and done because it just doesn’t work like that so that means on going use which does put extra strain on the heart frankly I wouldn’t wanna risk it for some temp. muscles. Are they competing that’s the only scenario I could see where one would have the discipline to do one n done, just to up there game for a change n say they one time went all out in competition.

Depends on why his heart was beating slow enough to need a pacemaker. Does he have Afib? Has he had a heart attach? What exactly has he been diagnosed with?

Originally Posted by Geareduprn

Depends on why his heart was beating slow enough to need a pacemaker. Does he have Afib? Has he had a heart attach? What exactly has he been diagnosed with?

It was not a heart attach. It has something to do with the signal that gets sent to the heart to tell it to beat. It was slowing down or not sending the signal.

Right but there are many different things that can cause that. Im a critical care nurse so if me ever wants to send me a PM I'll give him some honest advice. My initial thought is to not do gear but depending on the reason for the paper it could be mildly risky or it could be just plain stupid

Might wonna ask a dr...

Sounds like you are describing sick sinus syndrome.. but that usually happens in people older than 65 years old. Potentially an AV block. Usually pacers go in for a-fib after they ablate the AV node to prevent rapid ventricular rates, doesn't sound like he had this done. Regardless, I don't think we know much about how anabolics affect the conduction system.. but that is what the pacer is for, to take over conduction. Usually people discuss cardiac hypertrophy with heart failure and coronary artery disease when it comes to gear.. so I guess technically your friend is right.. but I don't think anyone would feel comfortable telling him to go for it when you have a pre-existing cardiac condition. Everyone takes risk when on gear, his is probably a little bit more because no one really knows.

Originally Posted by thetank88

Sounds like you are describing sick sinus syndrome.. but that usually happens in people older than 65 years old. Potentially an AV block. Usually pacers go in for a-fib after they ablate the AV node to prevent rapid ventricular rates, doesn't sound like he had this done. Regardless, I don't think we know much about how anabolics affect the conduction system.. but that is what the pacer is for, to take over conduction. Usually people discuss cardiac hypertrophy with heart failure and coronary artery disease when it comes to gear.. so I guess technically your friend is right.. but I don't think anyone would feel comfortable telling him to go for it when you have a pre-existing cardiac condition. Everyone takes risk when on gear, his is probably a little bit more because no one really knows.

Perfusion issues and infarction can affect conduction. Gear has an effect on viscosity and coagulation. If he has Afib and is on anticoagulation therapy I would say absolutely not. If he has an idiopathic bradycardia maybe no big deal. Sick sinus syndrome usually a companies periods of tachycardia and Bradycardia.

Originally Posted by Geareduprn

Perfusion issues and infarction can affect conduction. Gear has an effect on viscosity and coagulation. If he has Afib and is on anticoagulation therapy I would say absolutely not. If he has an idiopathic bradycardia maybe no big deal. Sick sinus syndrome usually a companies periods of tachycardia and Bradycardia.

Sort of. If you have an ischemic cardiomyopathy that is affecting conduction due to large infarcted muscle tissue that could be an indication for CRS.. but he'd have to meet all the criteria.. QRS>130, EF <35%, NYHA III/IV etc... clearly not this guy (at least I hope not). Gear gives you a polycythemia affecting viscosity - agree with that. And tachy-brady syndrome gets its own name and can happen in about 50% of the people who have sick sinus syndrome (which is a type of idiopathic bradycardia). I'd just tell the guy not to.