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Pacemakers help prevent fainting?

Blog Post by: James Walsh
March 26, 2012 - 4:11 PM

We already know that implantable cardiac pacemakers can improve people’s lives by regulating the rhythm of their heart. Is it possible a pacemaker can prevent fainting as well?

Medtronic today announced the results of a study – called ISSUE-3 – that found that patients who suffered from fainting due to neurocardiogenic syncopeless often when treated with a Medtronic pacemaker. According to Medtronic, on patients receiving pacemaker implants, the fainting recurrence rate was 25 percent when the pacemaker was turned on and the fainting recurrence rate was 57 percent when the pacemaker was turned off. Medtronic released the study results Monday, at a session of the American College of Cardiology’s 61st Annual Scientific Session in Chicago.

In the study, patients at high risk for syncope recurrence were identified through the use of Medtronic’s Reveal

family of Insertable Cardiac Monitors, which allowed physicians to determine which patients could benefit from a pacemaker implant.

“This study adds to the strength of clinical evidence affirming the effectiveness of pacemakers in reducing the recurrence of asystolic syncope, allowing us to determine which patients may benefit best from pacing,” said Michele Brignole, M.D., WHO IS WITH? Ospedali del Tigullio in Lavagna, Italy. Brignole is the principal investigator of ISSUE-3 (International Study on Syncope of Uncertain Etiology 3). “Based on these compelling results, the ISSUE investigators are hopeful that the clinical implications of this study will be taken into account when drafting updates to the current guidelines for these patients.”