Waste pollutes clean water, making it undrinkable. Even today in some African cities, there are inadequate water supplies because most of the water is lost in pipe leakages, according to the UN. Today, outdoor air pollution contributes to about two million deaths a year and a host of chronic health problems.
The normal, healthy heart has its own pacemaker that regulates the rate that the heart beats. However, some hearts don't beat regularly. A pacemaker can sometimes correct the problem. A pacemaker is a small device that sends electrical impulses to the heart muscle to maintain a suitable heart rate and rhythm. A pacemaker may also be used to treat fainting spells (syncope), congestive heart failure, and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
1 Rhythm problems also can occur because of a blockage of your heart's electrical pathways. 2  The artificial pacemaker's pulse generator sends electrical impulses to the heart to help it pump properly. 3  An electrode is placed next to the heart wall and small electrical charges travel through the wire to the heart. Your heartbeat is sometimes normal and sometimes too fast or too slow. 2  The sinoatrial (SA) node or sinus node is the heart's natural pacemaker. 3  It's a small mass of specialized cells in the top of the right atrium (upper chamber of the heart).