Heart Devices Like Pacemakers Linked to Infections, Mayo Clinic Study

Implantable electronic devices such as pacemakers and certain defibrillators can help treat heart conditions and save lives, but these benefits may have to be weighed against potentially life-threatening and costly complications, a new study suggests. Researchers from the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine in Rochester, Minn., found that people who develop an infection related to a cardiovascular implantable electronic device (CIED) are at greater risk for death. Infection related to one of these devices also results in higher health-care costs, including the price for hospital admissions, intensive care and pharmacy services.

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