The Relationship Between Maximal Oxygen Uptake and Heart Rate in Patients Treated with Artificial Pacemakers

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Abstract
A paramagnetic O2 meter, the Junkalor Spirolyt was evaluated and found to be satisfactory for identifying and measuring the O2 consumption during steady state exercise. In 10 patients with artificial pacemakers, fixed slow ventricular rates resulted in a very low maximal O2 uptake which could be increased by an increase in ventricular rate. In 8 out of 10 patients very little, if any, benefit was obtained from pacemaker rates in excess of about 80 beats a min. even during maximal exercise. During aerobic exercise O2 consumption depended on the work load alone and was independent of heart rate.