Right bundle branch block and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in healthy patients

Med Clin (Barc). 2018 Nov 21;151(10):402-411. doi: 10.1016/j.medcli.2018.04.026. Epub 2018 Aug 20.
[Article in English, Spanish]

Abstract

The clinical significance of a right bundle branch block (RBBB) in an asymptomatic adult without evidence of cardiovascular disease is controversial. To establish the relationship between the appearance of the RBBB and the increase of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in healthy patients, we have carried out a literature review of documents available until September 2017 through a systematic search on the Pubmed database, Cochrane library and a manual search of the mentioned literature and related articles. From the 29 articles included in the study sample, eight showed mortality and 16 morbidity outcomes. An increase of risk of death is observed is eight articles and an increase of cardiovascular events is observed in 11 articles. The most recent publications suggest that the appearance of an RBBB in healthy individuals should not be underestimated, thus further studies are needed to analyse the type of follow-up that should be carried out in these patients.

Keywords: Bloqueo de rama derecha; Cardiovascular morbidity and mortality; Morbimortalidad cardiovascular; Right bundle branch block.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Systematic Review

MeSH terms

  • Asymptomatic Diseases* / mortality
  • Bundle-Branch Block / complications*
  • Bundle-Branch Block / mortality
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / etiology*
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / mortality
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Prognosis
  • Sex Factors