The haemodynamic importance of atrioventricular synchrony and rate increase at rest and during exercise.

To compare the added haemodynamic importance of atrioventricular synchrony to rate increase, we studied 10 patients, healthy except for atrioventricular block, treated with atrioventricular synchronous pacemakers. Haemodynamic data were obtained by brachial and pulmonary arterial catheterisation. Recordings were made at rest and during upright bicycle ergometry at two submaximal work loads (50% and 80% of maximal aerobic exercise tolerance). The investigation was first performed in the atrioventricular synchronous mode of pacing (VDD) and later repeated during fixed-rate ventricular pacing (VVI) at ventricular rates adjusted to the levels achieved during atrioventricular synchronous pacing. At rest (mean rate 74 bpm), preserved atrioventricular synchrony increased cardiac output (5.0 +/- 0.7 l min-1; mean +/- SD) compared with asynchrony (4.5 +/- 1.0; P less than 0.05), owing to a higher stroke volume (70 +/- 19 versus 64 +/- 22 ml; P less than 0.05), illustrating the importance of the atrial contribution to ventricular filling. During exercise at 50% (mean rate 122 bpm) and 80% (mean rate 146 bpm) of maximal aerobic tolerance, there were no significant differences in cardiac output (50%: VVI 10.1 +/- 2.5, VDD 10.5 +/- 1.6 NS; 80%: VVI 12.8 +/- 4.1, VDD 12.3 +/- 3.5, NS) or in stroke volume (50%: VVI 83 +/- 23, VDD 88 +/- 17, NS; 80%: VVI 89 +/- 32, VDD 85 +/- 27, NS). We conclude that the capacity for rate increase is of major importance while preserved atrioventricular synchrony seems to be much less important for the ability of the individual to increase cardiac output during exercise, at least in patients without myocardial disease.