Overview
- Bowen revealed on Michael Rosenbaum’s Inside of You podcast on July 1 that she was diagnosed with sick sinus syndrome with hypervagotonia in her late 20s.
- Her sister, then a medical student, detected her dangerously low heart rate with a stethoscope and urged her to see a cardiologist.
- Doctors installed a pacemaker under her armpit immediately after she filmed the pilot for NBC’s Ed to prevent fatal fainting episodes.
- Bowen has undergone battery replacements over the decades and now largely forgets she has the device as it regulates her heart seamlessly.
- Medical experts note that while pacemakers are rare in young adults, early diagnosis and discreet modern devices enable normal activity with routine maintenance.