DEAR DR. GOTT:
Please tell me about left bundle branch block. Is it something that I should worry about?
DEAR READER:
The heart is a muscular cone-shaped organ, approximately the size of a clenched fist that pumps oxygenated blood through the entire body. In essence, it is a natural pacemaker. The chambers of the heart include two ventricles with thick muscular walls and two atria with thin muscular walls. The heart is divided into right and left sides by an inner wall known as the septum. The purpose of the right side of the heart is to pump blood from which the oxygen has been removed into the lung arteries. The purpose of the left side of the heart is to pump re-oxygenated blood throughout the body.
Heart block occurs because of the interference of electric impulses that control the activity of the heart muscle. Sometimes the impulses cannot travel through the heart because of a blockage. When this occurs, an individual is said to have a bundle branch block. The rhythm and rate of the heartbeat will not be affected, but the event will take longer because of the slowed impulse.
If a block is located in the right bundle branch, it is medically referred to as a right bundle branch block. If located in the left bundle branch, it is known as a left bundle branch block. A blockage can be caused by coronary artery disease or other diseases that affect the heart muscle.
Without other conditions or symptoms, an individual may not even be aware of a heart block. Those who do experience symptoms may feel faint or actually experience syncopal episodes. It is known that individuals with a left bundle branch block may be at higher risk for heart disease than those without a known blockage.
A bundle branch block will be revealed through an electrocardiogram. In fact, the tracing read by your physician may provide the diagnosis and identify the location of the blockage.
In many instances, individuals can live without treatment. For those patients with a block and another cardiac condition, treatment may be required. This might include a pacemaker that will help regulate the heart’s rhythm, or with a pacer known as cardiac resynchronization treatment (CRT). A pacemaker ordinarily paces one of the lower heart chambers while CRT re-coordinates the beating of both ventricles by pacing them at the same time.
I cannot determine from your brief letter if you have anything to worry about. Only your primary care physician or cardiologist can determine what might be appropriate for you. Without a known cardiac condition, you might not require treatment and will continue to function with your blockage. With a known condition, you need to sit down to discuss the situation to determine what lies ahead.
To give you related information, I am sending you a copy of my Health Report “Coronary Artery Disease”. Other readers who would like a copy should send a self-addressed, stamped number 10 envelope and $2 to Newsletter, PO Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 440902. Be sure to mention the title.
About Dr. Gott