Ventricular Conduction Blocks Linked with Increased Mortality

Researchers evaluated the prevalence and impact of ventricular conduction blocks (VCBs) in acute coronary syndrome-related cardiogenic shock, according to a new study published in the American Journal of Cardiology. The study included data on 199 patients with ACS-related cardiogenic shock and assessed VCBs (including left or right bundle branch block, right bundle branch block and hemiblock, isolated hemiblocks, and unspecified intraventricular conduction delay). Half of the patients had a VCB at baseline. One-year mortality was 2-fold that of patients without VCBs (68% vs 32%, P<0.001). Additionally, VCBs were associated with increased mortality across the board independent of baseline variables. Transient VCBs were predictive of 1-year mortality. The researchers concluded that the findings “propose that that any VCB in baseline electrocardiogram, even if transient, identifies very early patients at particularly high mortality risk in ACS-related cardiogenic shock.”

Tolppanen H, Javanainen T, Sans-Rosello J, et al. Am J Cardiol. 2018;doi:10.1016/j.amjcard.2018.04.008