Rate-dependent pacing failure after pacemaker implantation:Novel
insights into the mechanism of using adenosine
Abstract
An 82-year-old woman received pacemaker implantation for sick sinus
syndrome. Two days after the implantation, electrocardiography showed
2:1 atrial pacing failure, followed by bradycardia-dependent increase in
the atrial pacing threshold during a pacemaker examination. However,
transient 1:1 atrial pacing capture recovered by adenosine triphosphate
(ATP) administration, which was performed to evaluate the
bradycardia-dependent pacing failure mechanism. We considered this
phenomenon to be caused by phase 4 depolarization and avoided replacing
this atrial lead. Three weeks later, the atrial pacing threshold had
improved. We report the potential role of phase 4 depolarization in
bradycardia-dependent increase in pacing threshold by using ATP.