the national survey of cardiac pacemakers and cardioverter defibrillators

background: 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. methods: 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. results: 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. conclusion: 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.