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. 1997 Jul;73(861):415–418. doi: 10.1136/pgmj.73.861.415

Permanent cardiac pacing in elderly patients with recurrent falls, dizziness and syncope, and a hypersensitive cardioinhibitory reflex.

J G Crilley 1, B Herd 1, C S Khurana 1, C A Appleby 1, M A de Belder 1, A Davies 1, J A Hall 1
PMCID: PMC2431415  PMID: 9338027

Abstract

The study was designed to assess the outcome of treatment with permanent dual-chamber pacing of elderly patients with falls, dizziness and syncope associated with the demonstration of a hypersensitive cardioinhibitory reflex. Questionnaires were sent to patients (and their general practitioners) who had been referred to a regional pacing centre with recurrent falls, dizziness or syncope diagnosed as likely to be secondary to cardioinhibitory carotid sinus syndrome or predominantly cardioinhibitory vasovagal syndrome. After pacemaker insertion, 84% of patients had no further syncope over a mean follow-up period of 10 (range 1.5 to 30) months. Minor symptoms persisted in only 40% of all patients. Symptoms were unchanged in 22%. It was concluded that permanent dual-chamber pacing is an effective treatment for elderly patients with recurrent falls, dizziness and syncope in whom a hypersensitive cardioinhibitory reflex is found. Good results were obtained in this group with a simple diagnostic work-up.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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