title: Pacemaker diagnostics: a critical appraisal of current technology.
abstract: Diagnostic information retrieved from a pacemaker offers the ability to improve patient care. Pacemaker diagnostic data provides information regarding pacemaker function and activity, lead function, arrhythmia occurrence, and data to aid in optimal pacemaker programming. Current pacemakers incorporate greater storage capabilities, more efficient means of storing and presenting data between follow-up visits, and more options for programming diagnostic functions and algorithms. The cardiac rhythm of the paced patient can be evaluated via real-time intracardiac electrograms at interrogation, surface electrocardiograms, ambulatory electrocardiograms, and by pacemaker stored diagnostic function that may include stored intracardiac electrograms. This article focuses on the various methods of obtaining diagnostic information regarding pacemaker activity, pacemaker function, and diagnostic information on cardiac arrhythmias. The current clinical applicability and limitations of these methods and the use of stored diagnostic data in the clinical follow-up and study of patients with pacemakers is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, University of Miami Medical Center, Miami, Florida, USA.
authors.forename: Wayne M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Pollak
authors.forename: Jeffery D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Simmons
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Interian
authors.forename: Agustin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Castellanos
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Myerburg
authors.forename: Raul D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Mitrani
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000175:diagnosis; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D004562:Electrocardiography; D015716:Electrocardiography, Ambulatory; D004868:Equipment Failure; D006801:Humans; D010138:Pacemaker, Artificial / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013610:Tachycardia / Q000175:diagnosis