Effect of programming different AV intervals on mitral insufficiency in patients with DDD pacemaker
Costa, M.; Elvas, L.; Ventura, M.; Cristóvão, J.; Martins, R.; Providência, L.
Revista Portuguesa de Cardiologia Orgao Oficial da Sociedade Portuguesa de Cardiologia 19(12): 1285-1288
2000
ISSN/ISBN: 0870-2551 PMID: 11220122 Document Number: 523501
To study the effect of programming three different atrioventricular intervals (AVI) on mitral insufficiency (MI) in patients with permanent pacemaker due to complete atrioventricular block. We included 9 patients (mean age 62 +/- 11 years; 6 men), with permanent DDD pacemaker, isolated MI and normal ventricular function. We evaluated MI (in a quantitative way) and cardiac output (CO) through echocardiographic examination with three different AVI (100, 150 and 200 ms). We observed a reduction in the severity of MI with the reduction of the AVI (best results obtained with AVI of 100 ms). We also observed an increase in the CO in 4 patients (those with MI of greater degree) with AVI of 100 ms. We observed a correlation of longer AVI with greater degree of MI; our results point to the possibility of increasing the CO of patients with greater degrees of MI with shortening of the AVI (probably due to a partial recovery of the regurgitant volume).