Presentation
History and Physical Examination
History
Consider pacemaker-mediated tachycardia (PMT) in patients with a dual-chamber pacemaker (programmed DDD or VAT) who experience palpitations, rapid heart rates, lightheadedness, syncope, or chest discomfort. However, the majority of patients are asymptomatic.
Physical examination
The examination findings may confirm tachycardia and may be otherwise unremarkable, except for presence of a pacemaker. [7]
Findings on ECG demonstrate intermittent or continuous ventricular-paced rhythm at or near the upper rate limit, which typically is set at 120-130 bpm.
There may be cannon A waves, hypotension, or heart failure (if episodes are prolonged and incessant).
Media Gallery
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Pacemaker-Mediated Tachycardia. Telemetered ECG tracing with surface lead II (top) and intracardiac electrograms (atrial electrogram [center] and ventricular electrogram [lower]) and marker channel (bottom) showing pacemaker-mediated tachycardia (PMT). The intracardiac markers indicate that the retrograde P waves, labeled AS for atrial-sensed event, occur 280 milliseconds after the ventricular-paced beats, labeled VP.
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Pacemaker-Mediated Tachycardia. Telemetered ECG tracing showing atrioventricular (AV)–paced rhythm at 60/min after termination of the pacemaker-mediated tachycardia (PMT). The tracing, from top to bottom, shows lead II, atrial electrogram, ventricular electrogram, and marker channels. The intracardiac markers indicate the rhythm is atrial paced (AP) and ventricular paced (VP). Note that the VP beats are ventricular pseudofusion beats.
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Pacemaker-Mediated Tachycardia. This is a typical example of PMT with ventricular pacing at maximum tracking rate (VP-MT) and then termination of the tachycardia as the atrial sensing (AS) is in the postventricular atrial refractory period (PVARP). This is due to PVARP extension, which is a feature of this particular pacemaker. The solid line indicates where PMT is detected and this is the point at which PVARP extension occurs. As this electrogram was detected, but not sensed to be acted upon, the ventricular tracking stopped and the tachycardia terminated. In some cases, pacemakers have a program to lengthen the PVARP after PMT detection to potentially stop the tachycardia. Alternatively, prevention of one ventricular paced beat can also stop the tachycardia. Some pacemakers use this algorithm.
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