Would you recommend a pacemaker for a 60 year old male patient who has long heart pauses (up to 8-9 seconds) only at night or during naps, 30 times per week, but has no other symptoms whatsoever? would the pacemaker extend life expectancy?

The risk of long pauses is heart stoppage or arrhythmia (abnormal beats). I am hoping you have sought out a cardiologist who can discover the cause of this. Pacemakers can be life saving and some actually have a mechanism to electroshock the heart to restore rhythm if the beats are too infrequent. Please have this fellow see a cardiologist and soon.

If there are no identifiable causes such as medications, I would seek the opinion of an electrophysiologist since he/she would be able to make a decision regarding treatment without having to go through another referral. Personally , I would be in favor of a permanent pacemaker implant if the the patient is otherwise in good health.