[Update on current care guidelines. Current care guideline: cardiac pacemaker therapy]

The article presents the Finnish national guidelines for cardiac pacemaker therapy, comprising bradycardia pacing, cardiac resynchronisation therapy and implantable cardioverter-defibrillator therapy. These guidelines describe indications, the implantation technique, effectiveness, complications and patient follow-up. Emphasised are the novel aspects of bradycardia pacing therapy and the utility of cardiac resynchronisation therapy in the treatment of severe heart failure. The utility of prophylactic implantable cardioverter-defibrillators also receives emphasis. A particular focus lies in increasing awareness of advanced device therapy and the identification of patients who would benefit, in terms of improved quality of life and prolonged survival, from treatments which are clearly also cost-effective.