Pacemakers. The doctor said that my father now 96 years need a pacemaker because of its slow heartbeat and fainting. It has mild dementia, type 2 diabetes and has been asthmatic all his life. A part of that does not have any other medical problem.

If your father is experiencing fainting spells caused by a slow heartbeat, has the risk of serious injury caused by a fall and this is probably more important than the possible risks that may involve introducing a pacemaker. As you know, a pacemaker can be inserted using local anesthesia (usually by intravenous sedation) and the risks of general anesthesia are avoided. Type 2 diabetes increases the risk of post-operative infection, but this, too, is minimal if the diabetes is properly controlled. These decisions are often difficult when individuals have 80 to 90 years. However, it is worth considering any treatment that can improve the quality of life of patients with minimal risk. I once had a patient of 99 years who experienced rectal bleeding, and further evaluation revealed he had a pretty severe in the colon tumor. His daughter, who was about 70 years old, did not want his mother practice surgery (remember he said, "Anyway mom, you already have almost 100 years", but the patient - that was probably more alert and had things clearer I on any normal day -. decided to perform a partial colectomy and reanastomosis of his colon, which is a pretty overwhelming process Surgery was great and he died at the age of 105 years, living more than his own daughter Talk about. your concerns with the cardiologist, his father / a will be able to explain the risks and benefits of inserting a pacemaker versus leaving things as they are.