[Cardiac pacing in general practice]

Cardiac pacemakers are used to maintain a sufficient cardiac rythm. The last generation may stimulate and sense both cardiac chambers, atrium and ventricule (physiologic pacemaker or dualchamber pacemakers). The rythm may also be adapted to the patient's activity (mode rate-adaptative or sensor-driven). All the pacemakers are multiprogrammable and a follow-up program in a pacemaker clinic is mandatory as every programmable parameter and pacing mode is adapted individually to the patient and also because complications are not uncommon. Despite high protection, pacemakers may be susceptible to certain sources of electromagnetic interferences. The maximal risk is present in medical environment and may easily be prevented (magnetic resonance imaging, defibrillation, electrosurgical cautery ...).