Bundle Branch Block

  : I am writing because I went to the ER one year ago with pain in the upper left side of my chest, thinking that I was having a heart attack.  They checked my blood sugar which was low and my pulse ox which was fine.  The doctor ran an EKG for good measure and it showed that I have a bundle branch block.  He did not say if it was left or right, but just told me that if I was a patient of his that he would not prescribe any heart medication.
  : Since that time I have seen four other doctors, all of which have told me that it is nothing to worry about.  One doctor told me that as many as one out of ten people have this and do not know it.  She said that it is common in  Olympic athletes.  Another had me wear a Queen of Hearts monitor for two weeks and phone in events, which was a fast heart rate and a few skipped beats.  He then told me that I had a better chance of dying from being hit by a car than a heart attack.  Is there any activities that I should avoid?   I would like to know if this is a common defect in people and if it is a precursor for bad things to come later.  My blood pressure is usually around 124/75, but my pulse is around 90-99 when I am up and walking around.  I am also a 29 year old female, smoker, which my doctor told me to wait for a while before quiting.  This confuses me!
  : Please give me your advise on this diagnosis.  I had never even heard about it before.
  : Thank you!!

[Cleveland Clinic, MD]

  
Dear  Ada,
Thank you for your question.  A bundle branch block (BBB) is a delay in the conduction of the electrical signals down one of the electrical bundles in the heart.  I would agree with the previous 5 doctors that this is not something to be concerned about.  There is no increase in mortality or other bad outcomes.  Hope this allays your fears.
P.S. I would recommend quitting smoking ASAP - not because of the BBB but because of the rest of your health.

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