Key result
Traditional treatment strategies utilizing right ventricular apical pacing for complete heart block may have inadvertent deleterious effects on cardiac function.
This review highlights the natural history of complete heart block in pediatric and congenital heart disease populations, noting potential deleterious effects of traditional right ventricular apical pacing on cardiac function.
May warrant caution with RV apical pacing in congenital complete heart block; leaves open optimal strategies for prospective trials.
Complete heart block, either congenital or acquired, in children and patients with congenital heart disease is a relatively frequent occurrence requiring therapy. The natural history of this condition has been distorted by the advent of new diagnostic and therapeutic modalities. The therapy of complete heart block is evolving with new data suggesting that traditional treatment strategies utilizing right ventricular apical pacing may have inadvertent deleterious effects on cardiac function. In the following manuscript, the natural history of complete heart block is reviewed and the current therapy examined.
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Fischbach et al. (2007) conducted a review in Complete heart block in children and patients with congenital heart disease. Right ventricular apical pacing was evaluated. Traditional treatment strategies utilizing right ventricular apical pacing for complete heart block may have inadvertent deleterious effects on cardiac function.