Permanent pacemakers in centenarians.

We have described six centenarians who have benefited from permanent pacemakers. In all of these patients, their initial symptoms of syncope, presyncope, dyspnea, and transient cerebral ischemic attacks resolved promptly after pacemaker implantation. In most of these patients quality of life, as measured by lifestyle and independence, improved after pacemaker implantation. None of these patients exhibited evidence of ischemic heart disease or cardiac failure. Because of increasing longevity and age-related degenerative and destructive changes in the conduction system and the sinus node, we expect that the number of patients requiring pacemakers in this age group will continue to grow. Ischemic heart disease as an underlying pathology necessitating pacemaker implantation appears to be rare in this age group.