title: Dynamic electrocardiography and ventricular pauses of 3 seconds and more: etiology and therapeutic implications.
abstract: A total of 2350 consecutive Holter recordings revealed that 53 patients had ventricular asystole of 3 seconds or more. The diagnoses based on the longest pauses were: sinus arrest in 19; AV block in 5; slow atrial fibrillation in 29. Symptoms occurred in 45 and were absent in 8 patients. Associated heart disease was present in only 33 cases. A pacemaker was implanted in 7 out of 8 asymptomatic patients. Ventricular asystole of 3 seconds or more is proposed as a definite indication for the implantation of a permanent pacemaker.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000209:etiology*; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000175:diagnosis; D001919:Bradycardia / Q000209:etiology; D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000175:diagnosis; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000175:diagnosis; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D006327:Heart Block / Q000175:diagnosis; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000175:diagnosis; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010138:Pacemaker, Artificial; D013575:Syncope / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D013610:Tachycardia / Q000209:etiology