A woman suffers from dizzy spells in bed at night. A doctor discovers what a beloved utensil has to do with it.
The woman in her mid-seventies had been referred by her family doctor because she was suffering from dizzy spells. This means that she is one of the many older women with this problem in my practice (“Health is a matter of the heart”, Riva Verlag, 2024). I quickly found the cause in the ECG: The woman was suffering from a so-called AV block. The electrical impulses of the heart were not transmitted to the ventricles. As a result, the heartbeat sometimes paused, which she perceived as unpleasant dizzy spells. I recommended a pacemaker. It replaces the heart’s missing electrical impulses.
She was fine during the day
Immediately after insertion, the arrhythmia was resolved and the patient no longer suffered from dizziness. I checked the device every six months and the woman was doing fantastically. After about two years, however, things changed abruptly: one day in December she told me on the phone that the dizzy spells had returned. The strange thing was that she only suffered from them in the evening in bed; she felt fine during the day. Pacemaker malfunctions are rare. The electrodes are usually the problem: either the insulation of the electrode cable has become porous or the electrode has become detached from its anchorage in the heart muscle. I asked the patient to come to the practice. To my surprise, the pacemaker check was completely normal. The dizziness must have had another cause.
Source: Stern
I’m Caroline, a journalist and author for 24 Hours Worlds. I specialize in health-related news and stories, bringing real-world impact to readers across the globe. With my experience in journalism and writing in both print and online formats, I strive to provide reliable information that resonates with audiences from all walks of life.
