Key result
Cardiac memory is linked to rate-related LBBB, but underrecognition risks unnecessary invasive testing.
Underrecognition of cardiac memory associated with rate-related LBBB can lead to unnecessary invasive diagnostic testing for T-wave abnormalities.
Recognizing cardiac memory in rate-related LBBB may avert unnecessary invasive testing; leaves open true prevalence.
Rate-related left bundle branch block (LBBB) is a well-studied phenomenon. Cardiac memory is another physiologic phenomenon in which T-wave abnormalities occur in the absence of ischemia. The association between these 2 phenomena has been described in several case reports. A literature review was performed through Ovid and PubMed, where at total of 93 cases of rate-related LBBB were identified. Cases were reviewed, and data were collected on rates of appearance and disappearance as well as the presence or absence of cardiac memory. There is some overlap in the rate at which LBBB appears. Cardiac memory is associated with rate-related LBBB in several cases, but its true prevalence is unknown. Cardiac memory is a phenomenon that is well described in the literature but is often underrecognized in clinical practice. As a consequence of overlooking this phenomenon and not including cardiac memory in the differential when T-wave abnormalities are observed, patients may be subjected to unnecessary invasive diagnostic testing.
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Seibolt et al. (2018) conducted a review in Rate-related left bundle branch block and cardiac memory (n=93). A literature review of 93 cases found cardiac memory is associated with rate-related LBBB, but its true prevalence is unknown and underrecognition may lead to unnecessary invasive testing.
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