Permanent cardiac pacing: first Congolese experiment

Abstract

To present profile of the first patients implanted of pacemaker in Congo. A descriptive longitudinal study was conducted in the Department of Cardiology and the operating theater of the University Hospital of Brazzaville, from January to September 2012. It focused on eight patients who underwent pacemaker implantation during a French pacing mission. The effect of pacemaker on symptoms and quality of life of patients was assessed according to the CDC-HRQOL4. Mean age of patients was 70.4 , 6 years (range: 63-81 years). There were four men and four women. Functional signs consisted in: dyspnea (7 cases), syncope (3 cases), syncopal equivalents (2 cases). One patient was asymptomatic. The average heart rate was 37.4 beats per minute (range; 27 and 49 beats). Electrocardiogram showed: a complete atrioventricular block (6 cases), an atrioventricular block of high degree 2/1 (2 cases). Cephalic venous access was used in six patients and subclavian in two others. All patients were implanted and stimulated in single chamber ventricular (VVIR). All patients notified improvement of symptoms and quality of life during the first month of implantation. No complication has been observed.

Keywords

• atrioventricular block
• pacemaker
• quality of life
• congo