New ESC guidelines on cardiac pacing and cardiac resynchronization therapy

The European Society of Cardiology has released new guidelines for Cardiac Pacing and Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy. These new guidelines cover two main areas: The permanent pacing in bradyarrhythmias, syncope and other specific conditions like hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy and ventricular resynchronization as an adjunct therapy in patients with heart failure.

“Thanks to important developments in technology and advances in the essential knowledge which we now have concerning the physiology of the paced beat, patients with sinus node dysfunction and atrioventricular conduction system defects can now be given high quality therapy,” said Professor Panos Vardas, chairman of the ESC Guidelines for Cardiac Pacing and Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy. “These and other developments over the last few years have advanced electrical stimulation further into the realm of ventricular resynchronization as an adjunctive therapy for patients with drug-refractory heart failure and ventricular conduction delay.”

Guidelines, and more specifically guidelines that include complex devices like pacemakers or the cardiac synchronizers, represent documents of vital importance in daily clinical practice where a common policy in medical practice is imperative, said Professor Vardas.

The Guidelines will be published in the European Heart Journal (European Heart Journal 2007 doi: 10.1093/eurheart/ehm305) and are available online .

The European Society of Cardiology (ESC)

The ESC represents nearly 53,000 cardiology professionals across Europe and the Mediterranean. Its mission is to reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease in Europe.

The ESC achieves this through a variety of scientific and educational activities including the coordination of: clinical practice guidelines, education courses and initiatives, pan-European surveys on specific disease areas and the ESC Annual Congress, the largest medical meeting in Europe. The ESC also works closely with the European Commission and WHO to improve health policy in the EU.

The ESC comprises 3 Councils, 5 Associations, 19 Working Groups, 50 National Cardiac Societies and an ESC Fellowship Community (Fellow, FESC; Nurse Fellow, NFESC). For more information on ESC Initiatives, Congresses and Constituent Bodies