Quantitation of the Gain in Mortality and Life-Time after Pacemaker Treatment

. A total of 140 patients given permanent pacemaker 1963-73 were followed during three years with regard to survival. Indication for pacemaker implantation was AV block in 82% and disturbed consciousness in 84%. The first half of the series had a survival equal to that of the second half. The survival was 86, 73 and 64% and the excess mortality, which is above normal, was 9, 16 and 20% after one, two and three years, respectively. Concepts of fractional life-time and death-time were developed. These express the proportion of the total observation time that is life and death, respectively. The fractional life-time was 0.80 and the fractional death-time 0.20. The excess death-time was 0.12 (12%) of the total observation time. Mortality, survival, life-time and death-time were compared in three studies, the present one and two from Denmark. The great similarities were obvious. An estimation of the un-paced survival during three years, based on studies of AV block before the pacemaker era, indicated the great benefit of pacemaker treatment.