A 4-year survival rate after cardiac pacing in A-V block in the heart institute of Japan.

The long-term prognosis after cardiac pacing in A-V block was assessed by a follow-up study of 59 patients in whom pacing had been introduced 4 years or more before analysis. The 1 year survival rate was 85% and the 4 year survival rate was 71%. These figures are substantially better than the survival rate reported in patients not paced. The mortality has been higher in patients older than 70 years old. Even though patients were reviewed monthly or every 3 months in a pacemaker clinic, there were 3 sudden deaths in 4 years.