[Biventricular pacing as a new therapeutic method in heart failure. An alternative for patients with intraventricular conduction disorders]

Abstract

Patients with severe heart failure often have interventricular conduction disturbances indicated by wide QRS complexes. The resulting uncoordinated contraction pattern leads to impaired systolic and diastolic function which might be overcome by a new technique, biventricular pacing. The first Swedish clinical trial is reported, an open study where 13 out of 16 patients improved in terms of functional class, walking test and quality of life after six months of treatment. The number of hospital days was markedly reduced after pacemaker implantation.