LV Dysfunction Following Pacemaker Placement

Several studies have confirmed the link between chronic RV apical pacing and the development of heart failure and LV systolic dysfunction in some patients 1,2. However, questions continue to remain unanswered in regard to the adverse effects of RV pacing such as the exact amount of RV pacing that is detrimental to cardiac function and which subsets of patients are most at risk for developing cardiac dysfunction from chronic RV pacing. Rates of permanent pacemaker implantation have been increased over the last twenty years with expanding indications to include permanent pacing after AV node ablation for the treatment of drug refractory atrial fibrillation and other atrial tachy-arrhythmias. The current standard of practice is to minimize RV pacing however in patients that have had an AV node ablation right ventricular pacing cannot be avoided therefore it is important to identify if this particular group of patients is at an increased risk for developing worsening cardiac function. The purpose of this study is to compare cardiac function over time between patients that have undergone AV node ablation versus patients that have had pacemaker implantation for AV node dysfunction.