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A rate responsive pacemaker that physiologically reduces pacing rates at rest
J Morris-Thurgood1, C M Chiang, J Rochelle
1Department of Cardiology, Harefield Hospital, United Kingdom.
Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology : PACE
|November 1, 1994
Summary
Minute ventilation (MV) sensors in pacemakers can automatically lower heart rate during sleep. This study found MV sensors effectively reduced pacing rates during rest, improving patient comfort and pacemaker function.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Cardiology
- Medical Devices
Background:
- Current pacemakers use timers to slow rates during rest, which may not be optimal.
- Minute ventilation (MV) sensors are used for rate responsiveness during activity.
- Automatically adjusting pacing rates during sleep could enhance patient well-being.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the use of an MV sensor to automatically decrease pacemaker rate during sleep and rest.
- To assess the efficacy and adaptation of MV sensor-driven rate reduction over a 3-month period.
Main Methods:
- Eight patients with Sentri 1210 single chamber MV sensor pacemakers were studied.
- A target sleep rate (SR) of 45 bpm was set, with an MV-based response function automatically updated.
- Pacing data was collected over 3 months, correlating with patient diaries and Holter recordings.
Main Results:
- Average pacing rate decreased by 12.4% over 3 months.
- The percentage of paced beats in the 40-59 bpm range increased significantly from 0% to 15.4%.
- Pacing rates were consistently lower during sleep than during waking activity, confirmed by diaries and Holter.
Conclusions:
- Minute ventilation (MV) sensors can be effectively utilized to automatically reduce pacemaker rates during sleep and rest.
- This approach offers a more adaptive and potentially beneficial alternative to timer-based rate reduction.
- MV sensor technology shows promise for optimizing pacemaker therapy during non-exertional periods.