Surveillance and follow-up of patients with implanted cardiac pacemaker by telephone transmission

A follow-up study on pacemaker function in 15 patients with implanted cardiac pacemaker has been performed by telephone transmission. The transmitting set consisting of electrocardiograph, pacemaker pulse modulator and acoustic coupler was manipulated by the patients themselves. ECG, pacemaker pulse, and pulse rate were simultaneously transmitted through 1 channel to the receiver in our clinic. Of 56 patients with pacemaker, 15 patients were surveyed by telephone transmission. In these patients battery exhaustion was detected in 3, competition in 2, and lead fracture in 1. The fact that surveillance and follow-up of the patients with implanted cardiac pacemaker could be carried out by telephone transmission as well as by clinic visitation tells us that the telephone transmission is a useful method and plays an important role in a pacemaker clinic. Moreover our study established its further usefulness in the patient's preference due to difficulties in travelling to the pacemaker clinic and in reducing patient's anxiety.