Document Detail


Right bundle branch block of unknown age in the setting of acute anterior myocardial infarction: an attempt to define who should be paced prophylactically.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  7479171     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
It is widely accepted that patients presenting with acute anterior myocardial infarction and acute onset of right bundle branch block should be prophylactically paced in contrast with those who have a chronic bundle branch block. The admitting physician is faced with the dilemma of how to act if the age of this conduction disturbance is unknown. This problem has further intensified in recent years, with the introduction of thrombolytic treatment, where insertion of a central vascular line is associated with increased morbidity. The objectives of this study were to define clinical or electrocardiographic parameters that may help the admitting physician to decide whether patients presenting with an anterior wall myocardial infarction and a right bundle branch block of unknown age should be prophylactically paced. We examined prospectively the in-hospital clinical course of 39 consecutive patients presenting with an acute myocardial infarction in whom the age of a right bundle branch block upon admission was unknown (group C, n = 39) and compared with two similar groups of patients who presented with an acute right bundle branch block (group A, n = 38) and with a known chronic right bundle branch block (group B, n = 22). Thirty-three patients (33%) died, with cardiogenic shock being the leading cause of death in the entire population. Prophylactic pacing, which was carried out in 66% and 54% of patients in groups A and C, respectively, did not reduce mortality rates. No clinical or electrocardiographic variables on admission were predictive to support prophylactic pacing in group C. In 10 of 46 (22%) patients who were prophylactically paced with a transvenous electrode, the following complications attributed to the procedure were detected: (1) either rapid sustained ventricular tachycardia (during implantation) that was unresponsive to overdrive pacing, or ventricular fibrillation necessitating electrical defibrillation (4 patients); (2) recurrent episodes of rapid nonsustained ventricular tachycardia, which stopped only after the pacemaker was turned off (1 patient); (3) complete AV block (1 patient); (4) fever appearing on the third or fourth day after implantation (3 patients); and (4) a large hematoma in the groin in 1 patient who was treated with thrombolysis shortly before pacemaker electrode insertion. Thus, the complications of transvenous temporary pacing in the era of thrombolysis may outweight any theoretical advantage.
Authors:
A Roth; Y Borsuk; G Keren; D Sheps; A Glick; M Reicher; S Laniado
Publication Detail:
Type:  Comparative Study; Journal Article    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Pacing and clinical electrophysiology : PACE     Volume:  18     ISSN:  0147-8389     ISO Abbreviation:  Pacing Clin Electrophysiol     Publication Date:  1995 Aug 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  1995-12-07     Completed Date:  1995-12-07     Revised Date:  2006-11-15    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  7803944     Medline TA:  Pacing Clin Electrophysiol     Country:  UNITED STATES    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  1496-508     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Department of Cardiology, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Israel.
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Acute Disease
Aged
Bundle-Branch Block / complications*,  prevention & control*
Cardiac Pacing, Artificial* / adverse effects
Case-Control Studies
Catheterization, Central Venous
Cause of Death
Chronic Disease
Decision Making
Electric Countershock
Electrocardiography
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Forecasting
Heart Block / etiology
Humans
Male
Myocardial Infarction / complications*,  drug therapy
Prospective Studies
Recurrence
Shock, Cardiogenic / etiology
Survival Rate
Tachycardia, Ventricular / etiology
Thrombolytic Therapy
Ventricular Fibrillation / etiology

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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