Activity Controlled Cardiac Pacemakers During Stairwalking: A Comparison of Accelerometer with Vibration Guided Devices and with Sinus Rate |
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Authors: | MARKUS MATULA MICHAEL SCHLEGL ECKHARD ALT |
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Affiliation: | I. Medizinische Klinik, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Tochnische Universitat Munch on, Munich/FRG, Germany |
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Abstract: | Activity controlled pacemakers are the most widely used rate adaptive systems. We studied second-generation activity controlled systems (accelerometer) in 21 patients with such an accelerometer controlled system implanted during walking level and stairs. We compared them to the rate of vibration controlled, first-generation activity pacemakers and to the sinus rate of a healthy control group. A metronome directed the speed during walking and climbing stairs at 92, 108, and 120 steps/min. At 92 steps/min, the new accelerometer controlled systems showed a significant (P ≤ 0.001) pacing rate increase from 107 ± 8 beats/mm during walking level to 124 ± 8 beats/min during climbing stairs, and a significant decrease to 105 ± 12 beats/mm during walking downstairs. In contrast, first-generation activity controlled pacemakers showed a less physiological rate behavior with higher pacing rate (113 ± 7 beats/min) walking downstairs than walking upstairs (97 ± 9), For everyday activities at normal walking speed, accelerometer controlled pacemakers show a more physiological rate behavior than first-generation pacemakers, hut they lose this physiological response with faster walking. |
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Keywords: | cardiac pacemakers accelerometer rate adaptive cardiac pacing exercise |
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