In a 61-country study conducted by the World Society of Arrhythmias, there were a total of 1,002,664 pacemakers counted. The United States has the largest number of patients with internal cardiac pacemakers, totalling 225,567.
Germany's population had the highest number of new implants per million people. Increases in pacemaker implantation are due to atrioventricular blockage and sick sinus syndrome, according to the WSA.
Atrioventricular blockages occur when there is an interruption of the signals from the atria to the ventricles of the heart. Sick sinus syndrome occurs when the sinus nodes do not function properly. This causes the heart to beat erratically, creating the need for a pacemaker.
