Spanish pacemaker registry. 6th official report of the Spanish Society of Cardiology Working Group on Cardiac Pacing (2008).
OBJECTIVE
This article describes the findings of an analysis of data on pacemaker implantations and replacements reported to the Spanish Pacemaker Registry during 2008.


METHODS
The data came primarily from information recorded on European Pacemaker Patient Identification Cards.


RESULTS
Data were received from 116 hospital units, which submitted a total of 11,855 identification cards representing 36.3% of all pacemakers implanted. There was a marked increase in the number of pacemaker units used, which rose to a rate of 708.3 per million inhabitants. The frequency of pacemaker implantation increased and the mean age of male patients decreased. The largest number of implantations were carried out in patients in their 70s, who comprised 39.1% of the total. The most frequent electrocardiographic indication was atrioventricular block. With regard to pacing leads, active fixation leads were used in the atrium in 59.3% of cases and in the ventricle in 37.9% of cases. There was an improvement in the choice of pacing mode, with age being a determining factor. For example, in sick sinus syndrome, the VVI/R mode was used in a 29% of patients aged over 80 years compared with 14% of those aged under 80 years.


CONCLUSIONS
Age was found to be one factor influencing the selection of the most appropriate pacing mode. Active fixation leads were used more often, reaching 44.5% of leads implanted. Atrioventricular pacing was used in a greater percentage of cases than in any other time period covered by the pacemaker registry.
Samartín
Raúl Coma
RC
Sección de Estimulación Cardiaca, Sociedad Española de Cardiología, Madrid, España. coma@vitanet.nu
Ferrer
José Martínez
JM
de Carranza
María José Sancho-Tello
MJ
Mateas
Francisco Ruiz
FR
González
Juan Leal del Ojo
JL
D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010138:Pacemaker, Artificial / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012042:Registries; D013030:Spain