Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

Runaway pacemaker: A forgotten phenomenon?

2005; Oxford University Press; Volume: 7; Issue: 6 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/j.eupc.2005.06.004

1532-2092

D ORTEGA, Maria Pia Sammartino, Graciela M. M. Pellegrino, Luis D. Barja, Gastón Albina, E L Segura, R. J. Balado, R. Laino, Alberto Giniger,

Cardiac electrophysiology and arrhythmias

Runaway is an uncommon pacemaker dysfunction, characterized by fast and erratic spikes at non-physiological rates. This infrequent but potentially lethal failure mode may be related to low battery voltage. Four single chamber pacemaker patients were analyzed (Medtronic Minix ST 8330, Minneapolis, MN, had been implanted in two patients and two CPI Triumph VR 1124, St Paul, MN, in the other two). They had been admitted because of presyncopal episodes. Typical high rate stimuli at 2000 ppm alternating with pacing at 60-65 ppm were recorded in all ECGs. Lead system tests were normal. The pulse generators had to be replaced.