Transcutaneous pacing

Transcutaneous pacing (also called external pacing) is a temporary means of pacing a patient's heart during a medical emergency. It is accomplished by delivering pulses of electric current through the patient's chest, which stimulates the heart to contract. The most common indication for transcutaneous pacing is an abnormally slow heart rate. By convention, a heart rate of less than 60 beats per minute in the adult patient is called bradycardia. Not all instances of bradycardia require medical treatment. Normal heart rate varies substantially between individuals, and many athletes in particular have a relatively slow resting heart rate. In addition, the heart rate is known to naturally slow with age. It is only when bradycardia presents with signs and symptoms of shock that it requires emergency treatment with transcutaneous pacing.