[Modern development of cardiac pacing]

In the submitted review the author presents after a historical introduction the contemporary possibilities of permanent pacing. He mentions the main reasons why a fixed rate pacing without atrioventricular synchronization is unphysiological and led to the development of dual chamber DDD pacemakers and ventricular pacemakers with a variable frequency of pacing. The main contribution of this so-called physiological pacing is an increase of the cardiac output and the work capacity of patients, as compared with fixed rate pacing. The author present also examples of diagnostic and antitachycardiac stimulation and discusses possibilities of their combination with an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator in ventricular tachyarrhythmias.