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Choice of the Optimum Pulse Duration for Precordial Cardiac Pacing: A Theoretical Study
Author(s) -
GEDDES L.A.,
BABBS C.F.,
VOORHEES W.D.,
FOSTER K.S.,
ARONSON A.L.
Publication year - 1985
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 - 10.1111/j.1540-8159.1985.tb05906.x
Subject(s) - precordial examination , medicine , duration (music) , pulse duration , pulse (music) , cardiology , time constant , cardiac pacing , electrode , stimulus (psychology) , anesthesia , biomedical engineering , electrocardiography , voltage , acoustics , electrical engineering , optics , psychology , laser , chemistry , physics , psychotherapist , engineering
In precordial pacing with skin‐surface electrodes, the goal is to excite the ventricles with minimal stiniuiation of overlying tissues. A theoretical analysis is presented to identify the relevant factors; the two most important are electrode location and pulse duration. Using the basic law of stimulalion, we developed a model which indicates that the optimum pulse duration for the closed‐chest pacing pulse is one that is long with respect to the membrane time constant of cardiac muscle. Current‐versus‐duration curves are presented for pacing and pain, based on experimentally obtained data. For pacing with minimum pain, the optimum stimulus duration was found to be about 10 ms.