Does a Surrogate Marker Exist That Can be Used as A Predictor For Left Ventricular Dysfunction In Patients Undergoing Right Ventricular Pacing

This is a pilot study into the effects on heart function when pacing the right ventricle (RV). This study aims to enrol a population with structurally normal hearts. The investigators aim to measure heart function directly when pacing.

When normal conduction within the heart fails, the treatment may be to implant a permanent pacemaker. Pacing involves passing a lead via a vein to the heart and using an electrical impulse to stimulate a beat. The usual site for pacing is the tip of the RV. This has been shown to be less efficient than the normal conduction system of the heart and in some cases leads to markedly reduced function. What the investigators do not know is why this is the case.

Much effort has been directed at looking at features within the left ventricle (LV) for markers of disease progression but little has been investigated regarding the RV.

There may be some benefit to pacing the heart preferentially from different parts of the RV and the investigators aim to measure if any differences are detectable from stimulating the heart at various sites within the RV.