Guidelines for pacemaker follow-up in Canada: a consensus statement of the Canadian Working Group on Cardiac Pacing.

A survey on Canadian pacing practices conducted in 1997 revealed a widespread desire for national guidelines on pacemaker follow-up. The present guidelines for pacemaker follow-up are a consensus statement of the Canadian Working Group on Cardiac Pacing. Direct patient follow-up rather than transtelephonic monitoring is desirable. Patients should be assessed at a minimum of within 72 h of implantation, at two to 12 weeks and at six months following implantation, and annually thereafter. More frequent assessments may be required for some patients. This depends on associated cardiovascular problems and specific devices. A typical follow-up visit should include a targeted cardiovascular assessment, interrogation of the pacing system, review of telemetered data, assessment of the underlying rhythm, assessment of pacing and sensing thresholds, and appropriate reprogramming of pacing parameters to optimize device function and longevity.