What is a common risk associated with prolonged reliance on right ventricular pacing?

Prolonged reliance on right ventricular pacing is associated with an increased likelihood of heart dysfunction over time. This is primarily due to the way that right ventricular pacing can disrupt the normal electrical conduction pathway of the heart. When the right ventricle is paced, it can lead to dyssynchrony in the cardiac contraction, which can adversely affect the heart's pumping efficiency.

Over time, this can result in a condition known as right ventricular pacing-induced cardiomyopathy. The heart muscle may weaken, and overall cardiac function can decline, leading to heart failure symptoms in some patients. This risk is particularly significant in patients who require chronic pacing, as the continuous reliance on right ventricular pacing can compound the effects on the cardiac structure and function.

In contrast, it would not be accurate to suggest that right ventricular pacing could lower the risk of arrhythmias or improve heart efficiency, as those are not typical outcomes of such pacing. Additionally, while pacing can influence heart rate, a decreased overall heart rate isn't a direct consequence of pacing itself, and pacing typically maintains a fixed heart rate to ensure sufficient cardiac output.