Subject(s)
Atrial Fibrillation , Pyridines , Registries , Stroke , Thiazoles , Humans , Atrial Fibrillation/drug therapy , Atrial Fibrillation/complications , Germany , Pyridines/therapeutic use , Pyridines/administration & dosage , Stroke/prevention & control , Thiazoles/therapeutic use , Thiazoles/administration & dosage , Austria , Aged , Male , Female , Switzerland , Anticoagulants/therapeutic use , Anticoagulants/administration & dosage , Administration, Oral , Follow-Up Studies , Factor Xa Inhibitors/therapeutic use , Factor Xa Inhibitors/administration & dosage , Aged, 80 and over , Treatment Outcome , Middle AgedABSTRACT
Aim: This study evaluated the occurrence and associated costs of pacemaker complications in Germany from 2010 to 2013. Patients & methods: Patients with a de novo or replacement implantation of a single or dual chamber pacemaker between 2010 and 2013 were followed for 12 months post-implant using German health insurance claims data. A case-control analysis was performed using propensity score matching to estimate the costs of complications. Results: Out of 12,922 implanted patients, 12.0% had a complication in the year following the implant. Complications related to lead and pocket were found in 10.2% of all implanted patients; infections occurred in 1.7% patients. Healthcare costs up to 36 months post complication were on average 4627 higher than for pacemaker patients without a complication. Conclusion: Pacemaker complications are common and represent a burden for patients and healthcare systems generating substantial costs. Most of the pacemaker complications involved the pacing lead or pacemaker pocket.