[Recent advances in cardiac pacing]

Over recent years, the increasing complexity of pacemakers has discouraged many cardiologists who considered that their role in the surveillance of patients with pacemakers had become minimal. Fortunately, times have changed, as this sophistication, which has how reached maturity, simplifies the cardiologist's task and should renew this interest in pacemaking. For example, improvement of electronic circuits now allows simpler pacing modes (e.g. single electrode VDD mode) and the development of automation of the main pacing parameters: automatic adjustment of the discharge current, the A-V period, protection algorithms against tachycardia due to electronic re-entry and atrial arrhythmias, automatic mode switching. Finally, the incorporation of large capacity memory functions allows the apparatus to act like an implantable "mini Holter" monitor.