Plain English Meaning

A small device put inside your chest to keep your heart beating at a steady pace when it can't do so reliably on its own. It stays in permanently and runs on a long-life battery. The FAA can still allow you to fly with one, but only after extra medical review.

Full Definition

A permanent cardiac pacemaker is a small, battery-powered medical device surgically implanted under the skin near the collarbone, with thin wires (leads) running into the heart. It monitors the heart's electrical activity and delivers small electrical pulses to keep the heartbeat steady when the heart's natural rhythm is too slow, irregular, or unreliable. The FAA may issue a medical certificate to a pilot with an implanted pacemaker, but only after a special review process that confirms the underlying heart condition is stable and the device is functioning properly.

Context Anchor

Seen in FAA medical certification material, medical history questions, and discussions with an about heart or implanted medical devices.