GE ApexPro Operator's Manual page 122

Viewing real-time patient data
7-14
WARNING
PACEMAKER SPIKE—An artificial pacemaker spike is displayed
in place of the actual pacemaker spike. All pacemaker spikes appear
uniform. Do not diagnostically interpret pacemaker spike size and
shape.
WARNING
PATIENT HAZARD—A pacemaker pulse can be counted as a QRS
during asystole in either pace mode. Keep pacemaker patients under
close observation.
WARNING
RATE METERS—Keep pacemaker patients under close
observation. Rate meters may continue to count the pacemaker rate
during cardiac arrest and some arrhythmias. Therefore, do not rely
entirely on rate meter alarms.
CAUTION
FALSE ALARMS—Low amplitude QRS beats may impair paced
beat detection. This may result in false positive asystole alarms.
Keep pacemaker patients under close observation.
CAUTION
FDA POSTMARKET SAFETY ALERT—The United States FDA
Center for Devices and Radiological Health issued a safety bulletin
October 14, 1998. This bulletin states "that minute ventilation rate-
adaptive implantable pacemakers can occasionally interact with
certain cardiac monitoring and diagnostic equipment, causing the
pacemakers to pace at their maximum programmed rate."
The FDA further recommends precautions to take into consideration
for patients with these types of pacemakers. These precautions
include disabling the rate responsive mode and enabling an alternate
pace mode. For more information contact:
Office of Surveillance and Biometrics, CDRH, FDA
1350 Piccard Drive, Mail Stop HFZ-510
Rockville, MD 20850
U.S.A.
NOTE
ECG monitoring with patients on non-invasive transcutaneous pacemakers may
not be possible due to large amounts of energy produced by these devices.
Monitoring ECG with an external device may be needed.
ApexPro™ 2001989-200E