Citation

Krasniqi N, Segalada D, Lüscher TF, Lippuner K, Haegeli L, Steffel J, Wolber T, Brunckhorst C, Holzmeister J, Hürlimann D, Duru F. Cardiol. Res. Pract. 2012; 2012(online): 498102.

Affiliation

Clinic for Cardiology, University Hospital Zurich, Rämistrasse 100, B 8091 Zurich, Switzerland.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, Hindawi)

DOI

10.1155/2012/498102

PMID

23150844

Abstract

Background. Falls and fractures in the elderly are among the leading causes of disability. We investigated whether pacemaker implantation prevents falls in patients with SND in a large cohort of patients. Methods. Patient demographics and medical history were collected prospectively. Fall history was retrospectively reconstituted from available medical records. The 10-year probability for major osteoporotic fractures was calculated retrospectively from available medical records using the Swiss fracture risk assessment tool FRAX-Switzerland. Results. During a mean observation period of 2.3 years after implantation, the rates of fallers and injured fallers with fracture were reduced to 15% and 6%, respectively. This corresponds to a relative reduction in the number of fallers of 75% (P < 0.001) and of injured fallers of 63% (P = 0.014) after pacemaker implantation. Similarly, the number of falls was reduced from 60 (48%) before pacemaker implantation to 22 (18%) thereafter (relative reduction 63%, P = 0.035) and the number of falls with injury from 22 (18%) to 7 (6%), which corresponds to a relative reduction of 67%, P = 0.013. Conclusion. In patients with SND, pacemaker implantation significantly reduces the number of patients experiencing falls, the total number of falls, and the risk for osteoporotic fractures.

Language: en