PM Dependency Index Calculator

PM Dependency Index: Explanation and Clinical Context The Pacemaker (PM) Dependency Index (PDI) is a quantitative tool used to estimate the degree of a patient’s reliance on ventricular pacing. It integrates intrinsic heart rate, ventricular pacing percentage, and atrioventricular block severity to provide a composite score. A higher PDI indicates greater pacemaker dependency, which can guide clinicians in device programming, follow-up strategies, and risk stratification for complications associated with long-term pacing.

Clinically, PDI helps identify patients who may experience symptomatic bradycardia if the pacemaker fails and supports decision-making regarding device upgrades or monitoring intensity.