Clinical results with the Tachylog antitachycardia pacemaker

Tachylog is an implantable automatic multi-function device with several antitachycardia modes including "intelligent" search which is not preodained. Twenty-five patients have received Tachylog stimulators in England since December, 1982. Sixteen had supraventricular tachycardia with a mean rate of 220/minute and nine had ventricular tachycardia with mean rate in excess of 180/minute. Four patients with ventricular tachycardia died of poor coronary artery disease and two patients with WPW underwent bypass tract division because of very rapid atrial fibrillation on effort. Clinical control of all arrhythmias has been achieved in the remaining 19 patients. Eighty per cent of those with SVT and two out of five of those with VT need no drug therapy. Problems have been confined to sensing difficulties with early units.