The relationship of symptoms to performance in paced patients with breathlessness

SUMMARY Eighteen adult patients presenting with breathlessness associated with bradycardia, and whose breathlessness was diminished or abolished by permanent pacing, were studied at least one month after this procedure in order to examine the relationship between symptoms and exercise performance. A...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:European heart journal 1989-01, Vol.10 (1), p.63-69
Main Authors: ROZKOVEC, A., PAPOUCHADO, M., JAMES, M. A., KENDRICK, A. H., CLARKE, L. M., REES, J. RUSSELL
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Aged
Cardiac Pacing, Artificial
congestive heart failure
Dyspnea - etiology
Dyspnea - physiopathology
Dyspnoea
Exercise Test
Female
Heart Failure - diagnosis
heart function tests
Heart Rate
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Retrospective Studies
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Summary:SUMMARY Eighteen adult patients presenting with breathlessness associated with bradycardia, and whose breathlessness was diminished or abolished by permanent pacing, were studied at least one month after this procedure in order to examine the relationship between symptoms and exercise performance. All were pacing-dependent at rest and were studied over successive two-weekly periods at set rates of 50, 70 and 90 beats min-1 in a double-blind, balanced and randomized trial. The degree of breathlessness was closely related to exercise capacity judged by 6-min walk testing, effort scores and weekly pedometer distance. Overall results were worse at 50 beats min-1 than the two faster rates. For a given individual, changing of ventricular rate caused parallel alterations in symptoms and performance. The 6-min walking test was a useful guide to disability in these patients, tightly linked to the symptoms of effort and breathlessness, and may be of clinical value in assessing mild heart failure. The pedometer readings were influenced more by the patients' walking habits than by fitness.
ISSN:0195-668X
1522-9645
DOI:10.1093/oxfordjournals.eurheartj.a059382