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Far‐Field R Wave Sensing Causing Prolongation of the Atrial Escape Interval of DDD Pacemakers with Atrial‐Based Lower Rate Timing
Author(s) -
BAROLD S. SERGE
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
pacing and clinical electrophysiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.686
H-Index - 101
eISSN - 1540-8159
pISSN - 0147-8389
DOI - 10.1046/j.1460-9592.2003.00343.x
Subject(s) - medicine , p wave , cardiology , prolongation , sensitivity (control systems) , anesthesia , atrial fibrillation , electronic engineering , engineering
This report describes the occurrence of prolonged atrial escape intervals (AEI) initiated by sensing of ventricular premature complexes (VPC) without a preceding atrial depolarization or an AV delay in two patients with DDD pacemakers with an atrial‐based lower rate response. The prolonged AEIs were due to ventriculoatrial cross‐talk so that atrial sensing of the far‐field R wave of the VPCs occurred before detection of the R wave by the ventricular channel as a near‐field signal. Early atrial sensing of the far‐field R wave was promoted by a high atrial sensitivity and/or low ventricular sensitivity and was eliminated by reducing atrial sensitivity and/or increasing ventricular sensitivity. This manifestation of far‐field sensing should not be interpreted as malfunction of dual chamber pacemakers with atrial‐based lower rate timing. (PACE 2003; 26:2188–2191)