Expanding clinical indications of cardiac rhythm management have led to an increased use of pacemaker implantation which is associated with increased incidence of pacemaker infections. Staphylococcus aureus and epidermidis account for the majority of pacemaker infections. Infection of implantable cardiac devices by mycobacterium species, particularly mycobacterial tuberculosis is rare. We prese...

It has been shown that the hyperpolarization-activated current “if” that is blocked by 2 mM Cs+ plays a minor role on pacemaker activity of the center and a major role on activity of the periphery of rabbit intact sino-atrial node. On the other hand some investigations showed that if the atrial muscle, surrounding the sino-atrial node, is cut away there is a shift in leading pacemaker site from...

inhibition of pacemaker output in pacemaker-dependent patients and/or false triggering with tracking to the upper rate limit in patients with reduced left ventricular function may be detrimental. Therefore, we cannot support the approach of Martin and co-workers—that is, to leave the pacemaker sensing function activated. In contrast, we recommend deactivating the sensing function in pacemaker-d...

In 1971 Cramer [1] reported the characteristics of unambiguous measurement of sino-atrial conduction time, unipolar electrograms recorded in vitro from the pacethe identification of pacemaker shifts and the extent to maker region of the rabbit sinus node and subsequently which atrial impulses penetrate the node and act on the published similar records from the sinus pacemaker of the pacemaker. ...

The purpose of this paper is to summarize the need, feasibility, safety, legality, and ethical perspectives of pacemaker reutilization in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). It will also describe, in-depth, Project My Heart Your Heart (PMHYH) as a model for pacemaker reuse in LMICs. The primary source of the discussion points in this paper is a collection of 14 publications produced by th...

INTRODUCTION Permanent pacemaker implantation is available in Nigeria. There is however no national registry or framework for pacemaker data collection. A pacemaker database has been developed in our institution and the results are analyzed in this study. METHODS The study period was between January 2008 and December 2012. Patient data was extracted from a prospectively maintained database wh...

OBJECTIVES We evaluated the incidence, predictors, and treatment of pacemaker syndrome in patients with sinus node dysfunction treated with ventricular-based (VVIR) pacing in the Mode Selection Trial (MOST). BACKGROUND Pacemaker syndrome, or intolerance to VVIR pacing, consists of cardiovascular signs and symptoms induced by VVIR pacing. METHODS The definition of pacemaker syndrome required...

AIM To investigate the effects of a water extract of Hwangryunhaedok-tang (HHTE) on the pacemaker potentials of mouse interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs). METHODS We dissociated ICCs from small intestines and cultured. ICCs were immunologically identified using an anti-c-kit antibody. We used the whole-cell patch-clamp configuration to record the pacemaker potentials generated by cultured ICCs...

Chest wall electrical stimuli, too weak to affect the heart, act as electrical signals to an implanted ventricular-inhibited (QRS blocking) demand pacemaker which interprets them as originating from the heart and consequently responds according to its specifications. Rapid external stimulation permits diagnostic interpretation of the spontaneous electrocardiogram by completely inactivating the ...

A rule-based expert system has been proposed that will assist clinicians in the often difficult task of analyzing multi-channel pacemaker electrocardiograms (ECGs). Analysis of the pacemaker ECGs is important to the follow-up evaluation of patients with implanted pacemakers. Because of the complexity and variability of pacemaker algorithms, diagnosis of pacemaker ECGs is often considerably more...