Temporary / External Pacing
 • Transvenous & epicardial pacing are temporary methods of supporting brady- & tachydysrhythmias until resolution or definitive treatment (such as a permanent implanted pacemaker) can be implanted.
 • External cardiac pacing involves connecting one or more pacing electrodes (called leads) to an external pulse generator (also called an external pacer box).
 • Transvenous and epicardial pacing are more reliable and more durable treatments than transcutaneous pacing. (Both are pictured, though would not be used simultaneously.)
RATE - determines how often the pacer will fire
OUTPUT - determines how much energy is delivered to each pacing lead; threshold is how much energy is required to trigger depolarization
SENSITIVITY - determines how much current must be detected to identify a depolarization
MODE - Determines which leads are paced and how the pacer responds to native cardiac activity

by Nick Mark MD @nickmmark

#pacemaker #PPM #Temporary #External #Pacing #cardiology #diagnosis #management #transcutaneous