Intermittent atrial undersensing in single-lead VDD pacemakers in patients with bradycardia-sensitive repolarization: a possible mechanism for ventricular arrhythmia

Rev Esp Cardiol. 2010 Feb;63(2):229-32. doi: 10.1016/s1885-5857(10)70042-6.
[Article in English, Spanish]

Abstract

Intermittent atrial undersensing in patients with single-lead VDD pacemakers is regarded as being of limited clinical significance. Nevertheless, in patients with bradycardia-mediated repolarization abnormalities, undersensing could result in RR-interval oscillations due to changes in pacemaker mode and this could act as a trigger for the initiation of torsades de pointes. We report our findings in three patients, which demonstrate the functioning of this trigger mechanism for ventricular arrhythmias.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Arrhythmias, Cardiac / etiology*
  • Arrhythmias, Cardiac / therapy*
  • Atrioventricular Block / physiopathology*
  • Atrioventricular Block / therapy*
  • Bradycardia / physiopathology*
  • Bradycardia / therapy*
  • Electrocardiography
  • Female
  • Heart Rate / physiology
  • Heart Ventricles
  • Humans
  • Pacemaker, Artificial*