Exercise-induced left bundle branch block and subsequent mechanical left ventricular dyssynchrony--resolved with pharmacological therapy

Cardiovasc Ultrasound. 2011 Feb 7;9(1):4. doi: 10.1186/1476-7120-9-4.

Abstract

A 53-year-old man with depressed ejection fraction (EF) of 35% and QRS width of 88 ms at rest was admitted to our institution with a complaint of exertional chest discomfort and dyspnea. During treadmill exercise, left bundle-branch block (LBBB) with a QRS width of 152 ms occurred at a heart rate of 100 bpm. During LBBB, the patient showed significant mechanical dyssynchrony as evidenced by a two-dimensional speckle tracking radial strain of 260 ms (≥ 130 ms), defined as the time difference between anterior-septum and posterior wall. Five-month after carvedilol and candesartan administration, EF had improved to 49% and LBBB did not occur until a heart rate of 126 bpm was attained during treadmill exercise. It appears that pharmacological therapy may be useful for patients with heart failure and exercise-induced LBBB.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Antihypertensive Agents / therapeutic use
  • Benzimidazoles / therapeutic use*
  • Biphenyl Compounds
  • Bundle-Branch Block / etiology*
  • Bundle-Branch Block / physiopathology
  • Carbazoles / therapeutic use*
  • Carvedilol
  • Exercise Test
  • Exercise*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Propanolamines / therapeutic use*
  • Tetrazoles / therapeutic use*
  • Vasodilator Agents / therapeutic use
  • Ventricular Dysfunction, Left* / drug therapy
  • Ventricular Dysfunction, Left* / etiology
  • Ventricular Dysfunction, Left* / physiopathology

Substances

  • Antihypertensive Agents
  • Benzimidazoles
  • Biphenyl Compounds
  • Carbazoles
  • Propanolamines
  • Tetrazoles
  • Vasodilator Agents
  • Carvedilol
  • candesartan