What is the purpose of a surgically implanted pacemaker?

A surgically implanted pacemaker primarily serves the function of helping to regulate the heartbeat. It is a medical device designed to monitor the heart's rhythm and deliver electrical impulses when the heart's natural pacemaker fails to generate sufficient signals. This is crucial for individuals with arrhythmias or other heart conditions that disrupt the normal electrical signals that coordinate the heartbeat.

The pacemaker thus ensures that the heart beats at an appropriate rate, which is vital for maintaining adequate blood flow throughout the body. By doing so, it helps to prevent symptoms such as fatigue, dizziness, or fainting that can occur due to an irregular heart rate. This function is not related to regulating breathing, controlling blood pressure, or filtering blood toxins, which are handled by other body systems and devices.