The right bundle branch block consists of a change in the normal electrocardiogram (ECG) pattern, more specifically in the QRS segment, which becomes slightly longer, lasting more than 120 ms. This means that the electrical signal from the heart has some difficulty in traversing the right branch of the heart, causing the right ventricle to contract a little later.
In most cases, right bundle branch block is not severe and is even relatively common, not an immediate sign of heart disease, although it can also arise due to changes in the heart, such as infection of the heart muscle or a clot in the lung.
Once this block is identified by the doctor on a routine ECG, an assessment of the person's history and symptoms is usually done to assess whether it is necessary to start any type of treatment. However, it may be advisable to have some frequent consultations with the cardiologist to keep the change under surveillance.
Main symptoms
In many people, right bundle branch block does not cause any symptoms and, therefore, the change is usually only identified during routine examinations.
However, some people may experience symptoms related to the block, such as:
- Feeling faint; Palpitations; Fainting.
Although some of these symptoms are relatively common, if they appear very often they can indicate a heart problem and, therefore, even if they are not a sign of right branch block, they should be evaluated by a cardiologist.
Check for other symptoms that may indicate heart problems.
What causes right bundle branch block
In some cases there is no specific cause for the appearance of the right heart block, appearing as a normal change in cardiac conduction.
However, when caused by a specific cause, the block usually arises from:
- Congenital heart defect, such as a septum or a heart valve defect; Infection of the heart muscle; High pressure in the pulmonary artery; Clot in the lungs.
Thus, although it is almost always a benign change, it is important to have other tests, such as chest X-rays or echocardiography, to ensure that there is no problem causing the block, which requires more specific treatment.
How the treatment is done
In most cases, right bundle branch block does not cause symptoms and, therefore, it is common that it does not need treatment. In these cases, the person can lead a completely normal life without increasing the risk of heart disease and without decreasing the quality of life.
However, if there are symptoms or if the block is caused by a specific cause, the cardiologist may recommend treatment with:
- High blood pressure medications, such as Captopril or Bisoprolol: help to relieve pressure on the arteries, if this is the main cause of the blockage; Cardiotonic remedies, such as Digoxin: strengthen the heart muscle, facilitating its contraction; Use of a temporary pacemaker: although it is relatively rare, a device is placed under the skin that is connected to the right ventricle through two small wires that help regulate the electrical activity of the heart.
In addition, if the person has very frequent fainting spells, the doctor can also assess whether there is a left bundle branch block and, in such cases, may recommend using a pacemaker permanently or performing cardiac resynchronization therapy, which is similar to using pacemaker, but it has a third wire that is directly connected to the left ventricle, coordinating the heartbeat of both ventricles.
