Sick Sinus Syndrome 

HISTORY OF PRESENT ILLNESS: , The patient is an 85-year-old gentleman who has a history of sick sinus syndrome for which he has St. Jude permanent pacemaker.  Pacemaker battery has reached end of life and the patient is dependent on his pacemaker with 100% pacing in the right ventricle.  He also has a fairly advanced degree of Alzheimer's dementia and is living in an assisted care facility.  The patient is unable to make his own health care decision and his daughter ABC has medical power of attorney.  The patient's dementia has resulted in the patient's having sufficient and chronic anger and his daughter that he refuses to speak with her, refuses to be in a same room with her.  For this reason the Casa Grande Regional Medical Center would obtain surgical and anesthesia consent from the patient's daughter in the fashion keeps the patient and daughter separated.  Furthermore it is important to note that his degree of dementia has disabled the patient to adequately self monitor his status following surgery for significant changes and to seek appropriate medical care, hence he will be admitted after the pacemaker exchange.,PAST MEDICAL HISTORY:,1.  Sick sinus syndrome, pacemaker dependence with 100% with right ventricular pacing.,2.  Dementia of Alzheimer's disease.,3.  Gastroesophageal reflux disease.,4.  Multiple pacemaker implantation and exchanges.,FAMILY HISTORY: , Unobtainable.,SOCIAL HISTORY: , The patient resides full time at ABC supervised living facility.  He is nonsmoker, nondrinker.  He uses wheelchair and moves himself about with his feet.  He is independent of activities of daily living and dependent on independent activities of daily living.,ALLERGIES TO MEDICATIONS: , No known drug allergies.,MEDICATIONS:  ,Omeprazole 20 mg p.o. daily, furosemide 20 mg p.o. daily, citalopram 20 mg p.o. daily, loratadine 10 mg p.o. p.r.n.,REVIEW OF SYSTEMS: , A 10 systems review negative for chest pain, pressure, shortness of breath, paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea, orthopnea, syncope, near-syncopal episodes.  Negative for recent falls.  Positive for significant memory loss.  All other review of systems is negative.,PHYSICAL EXAMINATION:,GENERAL:  The patient is an 85-year-old gentleman in no acute distress, sitting in the wheelchair.,VITAL SIGNS:  Blood pressure is 118/68, pulse is 80 and regular, respirations 16, weight is 200 pounds, oxygen saturation is 90% on room air.,HEENT:  Head atraumatic and normocephalic.  Eyes, pupils are equal and reactive to light and accommodate bilaterally, free from focal lesions.  Ears, nose, mouth, and throat.,NECK:  Supple.  No lymphadenopathy, thyromegaly, or thyroid masses appreciated.,CARDIOVASCULAR:  No JVD or no jugular venous distention.  No carotid bruits bilaterally.  Pacemaker pocket right upper thorax with healed surgical incisions.  S1 and S2 are normal.  No S3 or S4.  There are no murmurs.  No heaves or thrills, gout, or gallops.  Trace edema at dorsum of his feet and ankles.  Femoral pulses are present without bruits, posterior tibial pulses would be palpable bilaterally.,RESPIRATORY:  Breath sounds are clear but diminished throughout AP diameters expanded.  The patient speaks in full sentences.  No wheezing, no accessory muscles used for breathing.,GASTROINTESTINAL:  Abdomen is soft and nontender.  Bowel sounds are active in all 4 quadrants.  No palpable pulses.  No abdominal bruit is appreciated.  No hepatosplenomegaly.,GENITOURINARY:  Nonfocal.,MUSCULOSKELETAL:  Muscle strength in lower extremities is 4/5 bilaterally.  Upper extremities are 5/5 bilaterally with adequate range of motion.,SKIN:  Warm and dry.  No obvious rashes, lesions, or ulcerations. ,NEUROLOGIC:  Alert, not oriented to place and date.  His speech is clear.  There are no focal motor or sensory deficits.,PSYCHIATRIC:  Talkative, pleasant affect with limited impulse control, severe short-term memory loss.,LABORATORY DATA:,  Blood work dated 12/15/08, white count 4.7, hemoglobin 11.9, hematocrit 33.9, and platelets 115,000.  BUN 19, creatinine 1.15, glucose 94, potassium 4.5, sodium 140, and calcium 8.6.,DIAGNOSTIC DATA:,  St. Jude pacemaker interrogation dated 11/10/08 shows single chamber pacemaker and VVIR mode, implant date 08/2000, 100% paced in right ventricle, battery status is ERI.  A 12-lead ECG 12/15/08 shows 100% paced rhythm with rate of 80.  No Q waves at the baseline of atrial fibrillation.  Last measured ejection fraction 40% 12/08 with no significant decompensation.,IMPRESSION/PLAN:,1.  Sick sinus syndrome.,2.  Atrial fibrillation.,3.  Pacemaker dependent.,4.  Mild cardiomyopathy with ejection fraction 40% and no significant decompensation.,5.  Pacemaker battery end of life requiring exchange.,6.  Dementia of Alzheimer's disease with short and long term memory dysfunction.  The dementia disables the patient from recognizing changes in his health status in knowing if he needed to seek appropriate health care.  Dementia also renders the patient incapable informed consent, schedule the patient for pacemaker.  I explain the patient and reimplantation with any device in the surgical suite.  He will require anesthesia assistance for adequate sedation as the patient possesses behavioral risk secondary to his advanced dementia.,7.  Admit the patient after surgery for postoperative care and monitoring.nan