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Right Bundle Branch Block Detected. Past EKG Report Normal. Advice?
Question: My husband had a perfect EKG one year ago, and now he is being told that he has RBBB. He is going to see a cardiologist in about a month. He is 42 and healthy. I am quite concerned.
He has not had a lot of sleep, had coffee before the test, and the did not shave his chest. He is going for a second opinion tomorrow. He feels totally healthy.
Hi Mrs XXXXXXX
Thank you for posting your query.
I understand your concern.
By your description I understand that your husband had a normal EKG one year ago and was told he has "Right Bundle Branch Block" (RBBB), after a recent EKG. And he is 42 years of age.
RBBB is a condition which is characterized by inability to conduct electrical impulses in the right ventricle of the heart.
The human heart is specialized muscular organ. It has a conduction system within it to carry the electrical impulses generated at a particular point in the heart called the "SA Node", to the rest of the heart so that the heart beats in a normal way.
The electrical impulse from the SA node traverses through the right Atrium and reaches the Atrio-ventricular Node (AV NODE), from where the conduction system (Which can be compared to an electrical wire) splits into the right and left branches and the left branch supplies the left ventricle and the right bundle or the branch supplies the right ventricle.
RBBB means there is a blockage in this Right Bundle, which is causing in a slightly delayed excitation of the right ventricle which is picked up by the EKG.
RBBB by itself does not cause any problem. But a newly appearing RBBB does indicate that there is some issue going on with the heart which is causing a defect in the conduction of the impulse.
This type a development of RBBB is most commonly seen in individuals with hypertension before developing this EKG finding.
One study indicates that most people who developed an RBBB newly will progress to having coronary artery disease or congestive heart failure later on in life.
RBBB as such does not cause any symptoms. But it is rather an indicator that, later on in life incidence of coronary heart disease and congestive heart failure is high.
Please go ahead with the second opinion, consult with a cardiologist to adequately treat any hypertension or such problems so that the progression of the condition can be broken.
I would really appreciate if you could write back to me with your husbands complete medical history, so that I could advice you better.
Hope I have answered your query. Please do write back to me for further queries.
Wishing you good health.
Regards.
Thank you for posting your query.
I understand your concern.
By your description I understand that your husband had a normal EKG one year ago and was told he has "Right Bundle Branch Block" (RBBB), after a recent EKG. And he is 42 years of age.
RBBB is a condition which is characterized by inability to conduct electrical impulses in the right ventricle of the heart.
The human heart is specialized muscular organ. It has a conduction system within it to carry the electrical impulses generated at a particular point in the heart called the "SA Node", to the rest of the heart so that the heart beats in a normal way.
The electrical impulse from the SA node traverses through the right Atrium and reaches the Atrio-ventricular Node (AV NODE), from where the conduction system (Which can be compared to an electrical wire) splits into the right and left branches and the left branch supplies the left ventricle and the right bundle or the branch supplies the right ventricle.
RBBB means there is a blockage in this Right Bundle, which is causing in a slightly delayed excitation of the right ventricle which is picked up by the EKG.
RBBB by itself does not cause any problem. But a newly appearing RBBB does indicate that there is some issue going on with the heart which is causing a defect in the conduction of the impulse.
This type a development of RBBB is most commonly seen in individuals with hypertension before developing this EKG finding.
One study indicates that most people who developed an RBBB newly will progress to having coronary artery disease or congestive heart failure later on in life.
RBBB as such does not cause any symptoms. But it is rather an indicator that, later on in life incidence of coronary heart disease and congestive heart failure is high.
Please go ahead with the second opinion, consult with a cardiologist to adequately treat any hypertension or such problems so that the progression of the condition can be broken.
I would really appreciate if you could write back to me with your husbands complete medical history, so that I could advice you better.
Hope I have answered your query. Please do write back to me for further queries.
Wishing you good health.
Regards.
Note: click here to Consult a cardiac surgeon online. to know the best treatment option for your heart-related issues
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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