Use of a new cardiac pacing mode designed to eliminate unnecessary ventricular pacing

Abstract

Aims: To examine the performance of AAIsafeR2, a new pacing mode to minimize the cumulative proportion of ventricular pacing in patients who do not need regular ventricular support. Methods and results: The safety of AAIsafeR2 was examined in 123 recipients (73 ± 12 years old, 51% men) of dual chamber pacemakers implanted for sinus node dysfunction, paroxysmal AV block or the bradycardia-tachycardia syndrome. Data were collected from pacemaker diagnostics, and the first 43 patients underwent 24-h Holter recordings before being discharged from the hospital with AAIsafeR2 activated. No adverse event related to AAIsafeR2 was observed. All ventricular pauses detected on Holter tapes triggered immediate back-up ventricular pacing. Appropriate switches to DDD occurred in 97 of 123 patients. In 69 of 123 devices (56%) switches to DDD were non-sustained, and the average % ventricular pacing in this group was 0.2 ± 0.5%. Conclusion: AAIsafeR2 mode seems to be safe and reliable in patients with infrequent slowing or pauses in ventricular activity, while maintaining ventricular pacing below 1%. © 2006 Oxford University Press.