Biomaterial Database

The underlying heart rhythm in patients with an artificial cardiac pacemaker. 1982

J Staessen, and H Ector, and H De Geest

One-hundred forty-two patients with atrioventricular block (AVB) and 61 patients with sick sinus syndrome (SSS) were followed for an average of 50 months after permanent pacemaker insertion. Their underlying heart rhythms (UHR) were evaluated repeatedly by chest wall stimulation (CWS). A deficient UHR was defined as ventricular asystole lasting 4 seconds or longer. The underlying conduction disturbance increased in 14% of AVB patients, decreased in 14%, and remained constant in 68%. The occurrence of Adams-Stokes attacks before pacemaker implantation was associated with a higher incidence of deficient UHR both in AVB and SSS; a deficient UHR was seen more frequently in AVB than in SSS. Among AVB patients (1) atrial fibrillation, flutter or tachycardia and (2) sinus rhythm with incomplete AVB, especially Mobitz 1, when present before pacemaker implantation, were associated with a significantly lower incidence of deficient UHR during subsequent pacing in comparison with other AVB patients. CWS is a non-invasive method which allows the evaluation of UHR and which can contribute to the early recognition of pacemaker-dependent patients.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D002304	Cardiac Pacing, Artificial	Regulation of the rate of contraction of the heart muscles by an artificial pacemaker.	Pacing, Cardiac, Artificial,Artificial Cardiac Pacing,Artificial Cardiac Pacings,Cardiac Pacings, Artificial,Pacing, Artificial Cardiac,Pacings, Artificial Cardiac
D004562	Electrocardiography	Recording of the moment-to-moment electromotive forces of the HEART as projected onto various sites on the body's surface, delineated as a scalar function of time. The recording is monitored by a tracing on slow moving chart paper or by observing it on a cardioscope, which is a CATHODE RAY TUBE DISPLAY.	12-Lead ECG,12-Lead EKG,12-Lead Electrocardiography,Cardiography,ECG,EKG,Electrocardiogram,Electrocardiograph,12 Lead ECG,12 Lead EKG,12 Lead Electrocardiography,12-Lead ECGs,12-Lead EKGs,12-Lead Electrocardiographies,Cardiographies,ECG, 12-Lead,EKG, 12-Lead,Electrocardiograms,Electrocardiographies, 12-Lead,Electrocardiographs,Electrocardiography, 12-Lead
D005500	Follow-Up Studies	Studies in which individuals or populations are followed to assess the outcome of exposures, procedures, or effects of a characteristic, e.g., occurrence of disease.	Followup Studies,Follow Up Studies,Follow-Up Study,Followup Study,Studies, Follow-Up,Studies, Followup,Study, Follow-Up,Study, Followup
D006327	Heart Block	Impaired conduction of cardiac impulse that can occur anywhere along the conduction pathway, such as between the SINOATRIAL NODE and the right atrium (SA block) or between atria and ventricles (AV block). Heart blocks can be classified by the duration, frequency, or completeness of conduction block. Reversibility depends on the degree of structural or functional defects.	Auriculo-Ventricular Dissociation,A-V Dissociation,Atrioventricular Dissociation,A V Dissociation,A-V Dissociations,Atrioventricular Dissociations,Auriculo Ventricular Dissociation,Auriculo-Ventricular Dissociations,Block, Heart,Blocks, Heart,Dissociation, A-V,Dissociation, Atrioventricular,Dissociation, Auriculo-Ventricular,Dissociations, A-V,Dissociations, Atrioventricular,Dissociations, Auriculo-Ventricular,Heart Blocks
D006339	Heart Rate	The number of times the HEART VENTRICLES contract per unit of time, usually per minute.	Cardiac Rate,Chronotropism, Cardiac,Heart Rate Control,Heartbeat,Pulse Rate,Cardiac Chronotropy,Cardiac Chronotropism,Cardiac Rates,Chronotropy, Cardiac,Control, Heart Rate,Heart Rates,Heartbeats,Pulse Rates,Rate Control, Heart,Rate, Cardiac,Rate, Heart,Rate, Pulse
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000368	Aged	A person 65 years of age or older. For a person older than 79 years, AGED, 80 AND OVER is available.	Elderly
D012804	Sick Sinus Syndrome	A condition caused by dysfunctions related to the SINOATRIAL NODE including impulse generation (CARDIAC SINUS ARREST) and impulse conduction (SINOATRIAL EXIT BLOCK). It is characterized by persistent BRADYCARDIA, chronic ATRIAL FIBRILLATION, and failure to resume sinus rhythm following CARDIOVERSION. This syndrome can be congenital or acquired, particularly after surgical correction for heart defects.	Sinus Node Dysfunction,Sick Sinus Node Syndrome,Sinus Node Disease,Dysfunction, Sinus Node,Dysfunctions, Sinus Node,Sinus Node Diseases,Syndrome, Sick Sinus