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Improvements in design have lead to a resurgence of interest in the emergency use of noninvasive external pacemakers. However, little is known about the hemodynamic effect of such therapy. In this study, 16 subjects with stable angina volunteered to undergo external pacing while they were undergoing cardiac catheterization. All subjects were paced to 85 percent of the age-predicted maximal heart rate.
At maximal levels of pacing, the atrial, pulmonary artery, and mean aortic pressures increased in all patients (by 2.5, 1.8, and 1.1, respectively). The cardiac index remained unchanged. Several of the pressure changes persisted for several minutes after pacing was stopped. Angina occurred in half the patients at peak heart rates and was accomp…