Therapeutic uses of permanent pervenous atrial pacemakers: A review.

The available techniques for permanent pervenous atrial pacing have been reviewed with particular emphasis on the coronary vein approach. The major therapeutic uses for permanent atrial pacing include sinus node dysfunction, recurrent ventricular tachyarrhythmias, and intractable supraventricular tachycardias. Special types of atrial pacing involve the use of bifocal atrioventricular sequential pacing, paired atrial pacing, and rapid atrial pacing generators. The potential problems associated with the coronary vein atrial pacing method are discussed.