Does revision to DDI pacing mode improve pacemaker syndrome symptoms in a patient with tachy-brady syndrome on VVI pacing?
Upgrading from VVI to DDI pacing mode can effectively eliminate pacemaker syndrome and reduce atrial fibrillation episodes in patients with tachy-brady syndrome.
A patient with tachy-brady syndrome manifested by paroxysmal atrial fibrillation and symptomatic sinus bradycardia and treated by VVI pacing developed pacemaker syndrome during episodes of ventricular pacing. His cardiac pacemaker was revised to a dual chamber system utilizing the new AV sequential DDI pacing mode which eliminated pacemaker-related tachycardias and totally abolished the pacemaker syndrome symptoms. There have been no further episodes of atrial fibrillation, possibly due to elimination of temporal dispersion of refractory periods during bradycardia. The propensity for atrial fibrillation has also been minimized by excluding competitive atrial stimulation during DVI pacing. The DDI mode provides the clinician increased utility and flexibility in the use of AV sequential pacing therapy.
McCormick et al. (Sun,) studied this question.
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