title: Alzheimer's disease: is pacemaker implantation safe?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the safety of pacemaker implantation in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD).
  
  
  METHODS
  We reviewed all cases admitted to our institution between January 2008 and June 2009, with symptomatic bradyarrhythmia for whom a permanent pacemaker was implanted. Beginning in June 2009, we prospectively collected data from all patients with the same diagnosis and procedure. Patients with a diagnosis of AD were included in the study. The risks and frequency of complications due to the pacemaker implantation were evaluated. Because of the older age of patients, they were divided into 2 groups to define the effect of age on complication rate. Group 1 consisted of patients aged <75 years, and group 2 consisted of those who are ≥75 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the 574 patients with permanent pacemaker, 20 patients (3.4%) had a diagnosis of AD. Three patients with an AD experienced a complication and all were in group 2. However, the rate of complication was not significant within groups (P = 1.000). Reoperation was needed for all of them, and it was significantly higher in patients with AD than in patients without a concomitant disease (P = .006). Patients in group 2 had 3 times higher rate of complication (21.4%) than those without an AD and aged ≥75 years (7.1%; P = .125).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pacemaker implantation may be of risk in patients with AD, especially in those aged ≥75 years.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Siyami Ersek Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery Center, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Damirbek
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Osmonov
authors.forename: Kazim Serhan
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Ozcan
authors.forename: Servet
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Altay
authors.forename: Izzet
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Erdinler
authors.forename: Ersin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Yildirim
authors.forename: Ceyhan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Türkkan
authors.forename: Yigit
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Canga
authors.forename: Ahmet Taha
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Alper
authors.forename: Nazmiye
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Cakmak
authors.forename: Kadir
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gürkan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000150:complications*; D001919:Bradycardia / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010138:Pacemaker, Artificial / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012086:Reoperation; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult