The National Survey of Cardiac Pacemakers and Cardioverter Defibrillators

Permanent pacemakers provide effective relief of symptoms and are life-saving in patients with symptomatic heart block. Implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICD) are also increasingly recognized as life-saving tools in various groups of patients with malignant ventricular tachyarrhythmias. As part of the “world survey on pacemaker and ICD implantations”, a survey of all device implantations in Iran during the year 2001 was performed. Data was collected and cross-checked through three sources i.e. direct contact with implanting physicians, pacemaker companies and the governmental pacemaker distributing body. During the year studied, 1635 patients received permanent pacemakers. 88% were new implants at an estimated rate of 24 per million population. The mean age of patients was 65 years and 56.2% were male. 40 cardiologists and 19 surgeons implanted the pacemakers at 27 centers throughout the country. Complete heart block was consistently the most common indication at all centers (mean 56.1%), sick sinus syndrome being the next most common one (mean 20.8%). 69% of the pacemakers were single chamber pacemakers. Transvenous insertion of bipolar steroid-eluting passive fixation leads was the predominant practice at most centers. A total of 60 ICDs were implanted at 7 centers by 9 cardiologists. 45% of ICD implants were dual chamber devices. The survey is the only one available right now and provides useful information about the prevailing pacemaker and defibrillator implantation practice in Iran. Future surveys would be facilitated if a standardized implant registry such as that used in Europe were established in this country.