Periop Pacemaker vs ShockRef
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Periop Pacemaker
This app provides medical professionals with a decision algorithm for managing surgical patients with implantable defibrillators or pacemakers. It is based on guidelines endorsed by the Heart Rhythm Society and updated annually by an expert committee.
- Decision algorithm for pacemaker/defibrillator management
- Endorsed by Heart Rhythm Society
- Based on ASA Perioperative Cardiac Implantable Electronic Device Management Aid
- Annual expert committee updates
- Designed for medical professionals
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Periop Pacemaker is a smartphone app that assists medical professionals who take care of surgical patients that have implantable defibrillators or pacemakers. The decision algorithm is endorsed by the Heart Rhythm Society and is based on the American Society of Anesthesiologists Perioperative Cardiac Implantable Electronic Device Management Aid. As device technology evolves, an expert committee of anesthesiologists, cardiologists, and device representatives will meet annually to keep information up-to-date. Disclaimer: ASA Pacemaker is designed for use by medical professionals only. Accessing the app content requires either a one-time payment of $7.99 USD or an annual subscription payment of $2.99 USD. A 30-day free trial is available under the annual subscription plan.
ShockRef
A clinical reference for managing shock and hemodynamics, offering insights into bedside physiology, resuscitation, and mechanical circulatory support. It includes practical calculators and drug references for critical care professionals and students.
- Shock phenotyping
- Resuscitation workflows
- Vasoactive drug references
- Mechanical circulatory support troubleshooting
- Physiology-based critical care
- Practical calculators
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ShockRef is a focused educational reference for clinicians and learners managing shock, hemodynamics, vasoactive therapy, and temporary mechanical circulatory support. It integrates bedside physiology, shock phenotyping, resuscitation workflows, monitoring pitfalls, drug references, MCS troubleshooting, source citations, and practical calculators for structured, physiology-based critical care. This app is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the guidance of a qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, and never disregard or delay seeking professional advice because of information provided by this app. About Rishi Kumar, MD, FACC ("RK.MD") I'm an adult cardiothoracic anesthesiologist and cardiovascular ICU intensivist practicing in academic medicine. I'm passionate about teaching with free, open-access medical education. Learn more on my site: https://rk.md
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: ShockRef at none against Periop Pacemaker's 2. ShockRef also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs every 2 months). Periop Pacemaker's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 26.0). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Periop Pacemaker sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per year. ShockRef asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Periop Pacemaker against 5.0 for ShockRef. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 8 and 3 respectively.
Periop Pacemaker ships an update every 2 months, ShockRef every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Periop Pacemaker | ShockRef |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (8 ratings) | 5.0 (3 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 8 — better | 3 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 4 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 26.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 43 MB | 15 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Rhythm Management, LLC | Rishi Kumar |
Customer experience
Periop Pacemaker
ShockRef
In-app purchases
Periop Pacemaker
- PERIOP PACEMAKER ANNUAL FEE1 Month trial$2.991 Year
- Periop Pacemaker$7.99
ShockRef
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Periop Pacemaker free?
Is ShockRef free?
Which has better reviews, Periop Pacemaker or ShockRef?
Do Periop Pacemaker or ShockRef have ads?
Which is updated more often, Periop Pacemaker or ShockRef?
Other comparisons
