Can pacemaker cause irregular heartbeat?

While the presence of a pacemaker is associated with an increased risk for atrial fibrillation (AF), this appears to be attributable to continuous monitoring as opposed to an adverse effect of pacing, according to a study recently published in the Journal of Electrocardiology.

An irregular heartbeat that you don’t even feel but can be picked up by a pacemaker is associated with a significantly increased risk of stroke , says a new McMaster University study.

Atrial flutter is one of the more common abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias). It’s caused by an abnormal electrical circuit in the upper chambers of the heart (atria) that makes the atria beat quickly and flutter instead of fully squeezing.