Base and upper rate

Changes to Settings

by Penguin - 2023-11-12 05:35:59

Hi, 

Thanks for the post and for highlighting that it's always helpful to tell patients about changes made to our settings.  This happens quite a bit to pacemaker patients and it's annoying. It would have been much easier to tell you what was done at the time and why. Saves unnecessary phone calls too which I imagine impact on busy clinics.

Thank you

by mar892ree - 2023-11-12 06:46:55

Thank you for taking time to reply , much appreciated. 

I'm ( apparently) 96% paced ! 

Once again - thank you for taking time to reply - I think I've had more answers/ information from this group than I have the hospital ! I also find it very reassuring too 

96% Paced

by Penguin - 2023-11-12 07:41:40

Hi again, 

I'm assuming that 96% is your atrial pacing %.  This means that your atria (top of the heart / sinus node) are being paced a great deal with your PM set at 70 bpm. 

The next time your clinic interrogate your device the atrial pacing % may be lower.  If this happens it will be because the setting has been changed to 60 bpm.  It isn't a reflection of your Sinus node function. 

Edited: too much info. 

Best Wishes

You need to get your PM settings...

by crustyg - 2023-11-12 13:01:12

...and then you'll be in a position to ask better questions.  Not all EP-teams will give you your settings at the end of each in-person setting: my advice is politely and firmly point out that you will get them anyway by making a Subject Access Request under the Access to Health Records Act 1990.  Unless they are totally wedded (welded?) to a 1950s view of Medicine ("you'll get what I give you and be damn grateful for it") they should back down and accept the USB memory stick that you offer and copy your settings and PM records to it.  Otherwise you'll have a 42day wait (IIRC that's what the legislation requires as a maximum delay on their side).  And it costs them a lot of money for each SAR.  Don't give up or back down.

At least one contributor here has recounted how once she started to show that she understood some of the EP-jargon, her team's view of her changed from 'nice, harmless little old lady' to one of considerable respect and willingness to share key decisions with.  She *is* a lovely, little old lady - harmless, hmm, I wouldn't pick a fight with her!

What the EP-team don't want is to have to spend time explaining the effect of changing pacing mode or lead impedance over time.  But if you ask about exactly what pacing mode you're in and it doesn't end in an R that *may* be the issue.  And there are plenty of folk here who will help you decode the jargon.

FWIW, I had my lower rate dropped from 50BPM to 45BPM - and did my usual Pilates then Yoga classes that evening.  Next morning I was back - by arrangement - to get my lower rate put back to 50BPM.  So we learn.  I can well imagine that a lower rate change from 70BPM to 60BPM has had a bad effect for you.  And being on a beta-blocker won't help.  Several contributors here have found a higher lower-rate limit much better for them.