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Heart Disease (Expert Forum)
Left Bundle Branch Block & ECG stress testing
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Left Bundle Branch Block & ECG stress testing
by Jerome-Pasman, Mar 17, 1999 12:00AM
Can the ST segments be used to indicate a positive ECG stress test in
the presence of a Left Bundle Branch Block? And if not, then what can
they use instead of the ST segments?
Thank you,
Jerome Passman
Doctor's Answer
by CCF Cardio MD - MTR, Mar 17, 1999 12:00AM
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Dear Jerome, thank you for your question. In the presence of left bundle branch block (LBBB), the ECG portion of the stress test cannot be interpreted. Thus, perfusion imaging with thallium or cardiolyte or echocardiographic imaging is needed for a stress test to be accurate. Basically, the blood flow to the heart during stress (thallium or cardiolyte) or the contraction of the left ventricle during stress (echocardiography) needs to be directly evaluated to determine if reduced blood flow (ischemia) to the left ventricle heart muscle is present.
I hope you find this information useful. Information provided in the heart forum is for general purposes only. Only your physician can provide specific diagnoses and therapies. Please feel free to write back with additional questions. Good luck.
If you would like to make an appointment at the Cleveland Clinic Heart Center, please call 1-800-CCF-CARE or inquire online by using the Heart Center website at www.ccf.org/heartcenter. The Heart Center website contains a directory of the cardiology staff that can be used to select the physician best suited to address your cardiac problem.
