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Julie Bowen Details Living With Pacemaker Since Age 29

Her account underscores the role of early family advocacy in catching an uncommon heart rhythm disorder before it proved life-threatening.

Julie Bowen attends Variety's 2024 Power of Women: Los Angeles event on Oct. 24, 2024.
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Julie Bowen on May 31, 2025 in Inglewood, CA.
Hollywood Actor jULIE bOWEN Reveals Having a Pacemaker at 29

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.