Cardiac pacing practices: a survey

A profile of permanent cardiac pacing practices in the United States during 1981 has been compiled in a survey of physicians who implant pacemakers. Approximately 5,600 physicians performed about 118,000 new primary implants at 3,670 centers. Only 17% of implantation procedures were replacements, compared with 31% in 1978. Although 90% of primary pacemakers were somewhat programmable, almost half were not reprogrammed within the first three months after implantation and 30% were never reprogrammed. Most patients (85%) were followed by trans-telephonic monitoring, 68% in conjunction with private office visits. The respondents estimated that dual-chamber pacing, accounting for 10% of implants in 1981, would increase to 37% by 1985.