PACEMAKER SYNDROME EVALUATED BY CARDIOPULMONARY EXERCISE TESTING

Two patients who presented with dyspnea on effort, persisting after insertion of a fixed rate ventricular demand pacemaker (VVI) for sick sinus syndrome, were evaluated by cardiopulmonary exercise testing. During VVI pacing a heightened ventilatory response to exercise and a fluctuation of ventilation occurred. The high ventilatory equivalent for CO2 throughout exercise with VVI pacing suggests that the patients had ventilation‐perfusion mismatching due to an increase in the pulmonary capillary wedge pressure caused by 1:1 ventriculoatrial conduction. Rate responsive ventricular (VVIR) pacing associated with intact 1:1 ventriculoatrial conduction exaggerated the exertional dyspnea, while rate responsive atrial (AAIR) pacing improved the ventilatory response to exercise. We suggest that a heightened ventilatory response to exercise due to ventilation‐perfusion mismatching may be an important factor causing the pacemaker syndrome, and that cardiopulmonary exercise testing is useful in identifying the exercise‐induced symptoms with ventricular pacing. Copyright © 1990, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved