Pacing in cardiomyopathy

Abstract

Permanent cardiac pacing is an established treatment for the prevention of syncope or sudden death in patients with heart block or sinus node disease. Recent observations underscore the use of pacing in patients with various forms of cardiomyopathy, i.e. hypertrophic, dilated and tachycardia-induced cardiomyopathy. The evidence favouring the use of pacing in patients with cardiomyopathy is mainly derived from retrospective and uncontrolled investigations and the data from the scarce randomized investigations are rather disappointing. Therefore, the indications for pacing remain controversial.