USE OF TEMPORARY CARDIAC PACING, ITS COMPLICATIONS AND NEED FOR PERMANENT CARDIAC PACING

摘要

Introduction: Temporary cardiac pacing is used in various extreme emergency situa-tions, in patients with severe bradyarrhythmias and second and third degree atrio-ventricular block. Its use is always considered when there are symptoms such as a significant hemodynamic compromise, not responding to medication, and little tolerance to slow pace. Objective: To describe the main use of temporary cardiac pacing that may lead to permanent pacing, and the complications that arise when using it. Method: A descriptive study was conducted in 266 of the 281 patients who were ad-mitted to the Arnaldo Milian Castro Hospital and received a temporary pacemaker. The use and complications of the procedure are described. Results: There was a higher use of temporary cardiac pacing as the age of the study population increased, 45.86% for those over 80 years of age. Females predominated (156 patients), with a female-male ratio of 1.56:1. The degenerative cause (42.1%) was the major cause for permanent pacing. The puncture of unwanted vessels was the most common complication (7.1%). Conclusions: The use of temporary cardiac pacing is more common in people over 80 years of age, mainly because of degenerative causes, which eventually leads to permanent pacing. The complication rate is not high considering that this procedure was not performed under fluoroscopic view.