Artificial Cardiac Pacemaker - Biventricular Pacing (BVP)

Biventricular Pacing (BVP)

A biventricular pacemaker, also known as CRT (cardiac resynchronization therapy) is a type of pacemaker that can pace both the septal and lateral walls of the left ventricle. By pacing both sides of the left ventricle, the pacemaker can resynchronize a heart whose opposing walls do not contract in synchrony, which occurs in approximately 25-50% of heart failure patients.

CRT devices have at least two leads, one passing through the vena cava and the right atrium into the right ventricle to stimulate the septum, and another passing through the vena cava and the right atrium and inserted through the coronary sinus to pace the lateral wall of the left ventricle. Often, for patients in normal sinus rhythm, there is also a lead in the right atrium to facilitate synchrony with the atrial contraction. Thus, timing between the atrial and ventricular contractions, as well as between the septal and lateral walls of the left ventricle can be adjusted to achieve optimal cardiac function.

CRT devices have been shown to reduce mortality and improve quality of life in patients with heart failure symptoms; a LV ejection fraction less than or equal to 35% and QRS duration on EKG of 120 msec or greater. CRT can be combined with an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD).