Temporary Pacemakers in Critically Ill Patients

Abstract

Temporary cardiac pacing provides electrical stimulation to a heart compromised by disturbances in the conduction system causing hemodynamic instability. The use of a temporary pacemaker to treat a bradydysrhythmia or in some cases, a tachydysryhthmia, is undertaken when the condition is temporary and a permanent pacemaker is not necessary or available in a timely fashion. Temporary cardiac pacing is utilized in acute situations and for critically ill patient populations requiring immediate therapy. This article discusses the various indications and contraindications to temporary cardiac pacing therapy, reviews the different modalities of temporary pacemakers, and outlines critical considerations in the management of patients being treated with a temporary pacemaker.

Controlling Rate and Rhythm Increases Feasiblity of CT Angiography in Atrial Fibrillation

“…12 Temporary pacemakers are also used in overdrive atrial pacing to suppress tachyarrhythmias such as atrial flutter, or in overdrive ventricular pacing to treat recurrent ventricular tachycardia or to prevent severe ventricular arrhythmia secondary to prolonged QT interval. 12 In the present case, conventional coronary angiography failed due to peripheral vasculopathy, while CCT was not an ideal option in the presence of a rapid ventricular response despite medical therapy and the inability of cardioversion to sinus rhythm due to LAA thrombus. In addition, the available CCT was a single source 64-slice detector with a rotation time of 0.42 sec.…”

Temporary Endocavitary Pacemakers and their Use and Misuse: The Least is Better

“…TPM is indicated in any clinical condition during which temporary pacing may be required, such as in critically ill patients with secondary BDR, in patients with drug-related BDR or during the perioperative period in patients at risk of BDR 10,11. These specific settings represent probably the most judicious use of TPM.…”

Entraînement électrosystolique épicardique temporaire post-chirurgie cardiaque : modalités pratiques

“…Les complications lié es à l'ablation des é lectrodes é picardiques temporaires sont mal quantifié es dans la litté rature (0,04 % dans une é tude [23]), mais potentiellement dangereuses et elles comportent les dommages tissulaires myocardiques, la tamponnade, l'hé mothorax, la rupture des anastomoses coronaires [24], l'infection. L'ablation des é lectrodes s'effectue par une traction douce, mais constante, en attendant que les mouvements du coeur permettent le dé tachement des é lectrodes du point d'insertion é picardique [4].…”