[Tissue hypoxia in non-massive pulmonary arterial thromboembolism in patients with an implanted electrocardiostimulator].

The subjects of the study were 64 patients with coronary heart disease, atherosclerotic cardiosclerosis, constant atrial fibrillation, and total artificial atrioventricular blockade corrected by means of electrocardiostimulation, complicated by non-massive pulmonary arterial thromboembolism. Twenty-one patients had lowered arterial oxygen partial pressure, (paO2 whereas in 15 patients this variable was increased; both conditions were associated with vestibuloatactic and asthenic syndromes, as well as cognitive function decrease. The presence of sympathicotonia in 93% of the patients with increased paO2 made it possible to describe hyperventilation syndrome, which had not been described before and which takes place in cases of constantly relapsing non-massive embolization of pulmonary artery's small branches, associated with endocardial electrocardiostimulation.