title: [A follow-up by telephone of patients wearing a pacemaker--the experience of the Cardiac Pacing Center of the Hospitais de Universidade de Coimbra].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To demonstrate the viability of the transtelephonic follow-up of paced patients, and its economical, human and practical consequences.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pacing center of a central university hospital and departments of cardiology in district hospitals.
  
  
  METHODS
  400 patients under transtelephonic follow-up, between April 1983 and December 1992, with a total of 1200 transtelephonic consultations. Analysis of the parameters of the stimulation and of the ECG tracings transmitted by a Transmitter Receptor Medtronic Teletrace 9403.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No technical problems were found in the transtelephonic transmission and clear ECG tracings were recorded. A very substantial decrease in follow-up costs was so obtained.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The transtelephonic monitoring of paced patients is a possible, useful and accurate method of follow-up.
authors.affiliation: Serviço de Cardiologia, Hospitais de Universidade de Coimbra.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Calisto
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Faria
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pego
authors.forename: F A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Angelo
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rufino
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Raposo
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Paisana
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gonçalves
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lucete
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Providência
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002300:Cardiac Care Facilities / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006785:Hospitals, University / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000191:economics / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010138:Pacemaker, Artificial / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011174:Portugal / Q000453:epidemiology; D013689:Telephone / Q000191:economics / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
vernacular_title: Follow-up trans-telefónico de doentes portadores de pacemaker--a experiência do Centro de Pacing Cardíaco dos Hospitais da Universidade de Coimbra.