[Permanent pacemaker therapy in a community with many elderly people].
To clarify the utility of permanent pacemakers in a society composed largely of elderly people, clinical characteristics, pacemaker characteristics, outcome, and quality of life in a total of 116 patients in a community with many (19.6%) elderly people were evaluated after permanent pacemaker implantation. Patients above age 65 accounted for 88.8%, while those above 80 years accounted for 24.1%. Syncope was the most common observation before pacemaker implantation and emergency care was needed in 35% of patients. Sick sinus syndrome and complete AV block were seen in a majority, while atrial fibrillation with bradycardia was seen in a minority of patients. Although the physiological pacing and ventricular pacing mode (VVI) were used in about 50% each, recently the physiological pacing mode has markedly increased. During the mean follow-up of 26.1 +/- 16.2 months, only four patients died. NYHA 3 symptom improved to NYHA 1 after pacemaker implantation and 72.5% patients of all cases returned to their jobs. We conclude that the permanent pacemaker is effective in improving symptoms and reducing the death rate in elderly patients.
Inoue
I
I
Department of Internal Medicine, Futami Central Hospital.
Takanashi
A
A
Inoue
T
T
Yamauchi
R
R
Kodama
N
N
Terada
M
M
Konemori
G
G
Suenaga
K
K
Wakamoto
A
A
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000628:therapy*; D003154:Community Medicine; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010138:Pacemaker, Artificial; D011379:Prognosis; D011788:Quality of Life