Permanent cardiac pacemakers: issues relevant to the emergency physician, part II

J Emerg Med. 1999 Jul-Aug;17(4):697-709. doi: 10.1016/s0736-4679(99)00066-9.

Abstract

Many people benefit from the implantation of cardiac pacemakers for management of certain cardiac dysrhythmias. These patients are seen regularly in the Emergency Department with a variety of pacemaker complications and malfunctions. The presence of a pacemaker may also affect management of unrelated medical problems. This, the second of a two-part series, covers the causes, diagnosis, and management of pacemaker malfunction; the pacemaker syndrome; the pacemaker Twiddler's syndrome; and other considerations in the paced patient including diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction, ACLS protocols, trauma, and sources of interference.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Electrocardiography
  • Emergency Medicine
  • Equipment Failure
  • Humans
  • Long QT Syndrome / therapy
  • Pacemaker, Artificial*