Advanced Pacemaker Diagnostic Features in the Characterization of Atrial Fibrillation: Impact on Preventive Pacing Algorithms

YANG, A., et al.: Advanced Pacemaker Diagnostic Features in the Characterization of Atrial Fibrillation: Impact on Preventive Pacing Algorithms. Pacing algorithms to prevent PAF are mainly based on the suppression of premature atrial complexes (PACs), which play an important role in its initiation. In contrast to 24‐hour ambulatory electrocardiograms, advanced pacemaker (PM) diagnostic features are capable of recording AF episodes during long follow‐up periods and of characterizing AF in a detailed fashion. For the specific use of these algorithms, a detailed characterization of AF was performed in 91 dual chamber PM recipients with histories of AF. Fifteen patients with episodes of oversensing due to far‐field signals or frequent episodes of “2:1‐undersensing” of atrial flutter were excluded. The remaining 76 patients had high recurrence rates of AF (median 0.8 episodes/day), however, the majority of episodes lasted