Oversensing is defined as?

Oversensing is defined as?

• A. A pacemaker detects signals other than depolarization of the relevant chamber, causing withholding pacing
• B. The device paces too frequently
• C. The device detects only depolarization
• D. The device fails to pace due to battery

Answer: (A)

Oversensing happens when the pacemaker picks up signals that are not the heart’s actual depolarization of the monitored chamber. Because the device interprets these extraneous signals as intrinsic heart activity, it may think the heartbeat is already occurring and therefore withhold delivering a paced beat. This can lead to pauses or bradycardia. Signals causing oversensing can include far-field activity, P-waves or T-waves from the heart, myopotentials, or external electrical noise; issues like lead problems can also produce such sensing. This is different from pacing too frequently (which is overpacing), sensing only depolarization (which is normal function), or battery failure (which leads to no pacing due to energy loss).

Oversensing happens when the pacemaker picks up signals that are not the heart’s actual depolarization of the monitored chamber. Because the device interprets these extraneous signals as intrinsic heart activity, it may think the heartbeat is already occurring and therefore withhold delivering a paced beat. This can lead to pauses or bradycardia. Signals causing oversensing can include far-field activity, P-waves or T-waves from the heart, myopotentials, or external electrical noise; issues like lead problems can also produce such sensing. This is different from pacing too frequently (which is overpacing), sensing only depolarization (which is normal function), or battery failure (which leads to no pacing due to energy loss).