Left Bundle Branch Block

I was recently diagnosed with a Left Bundle Branch Block. It was found through a routine physical with an EKG. I am a 34 year old female, non-smoker/non-drinker, vegetarian, and an ideal weight for my height, but I don't exercise. My father did have a heart attack at an early age (58).

I have no outward symptoms and the only other health issues I deal with are tiredness/lack of energy and headaches/migraines.

The doctor doing the physical said it was nothing to worry about. But my regular doctor wants me to see a cardiologist for an echocaridogram and a stress test.

I have no insurance and these tests would cost me about $1,300.

So my question is this: is the LBBB something that is not to be worried about as the first doctor stated. Or is it necessary to pursue more tests to ensure there is no other underlying heart problems?

[CCF-M.D.-RCJ]

susanr,

Thanks for the post.

LBBB is found in a certain minority of otherwise healthy persons.  From military cadet data, the estimate is somewhere on the order of 1 per 10,000.  In these studies of predominantly healthy young men, if a person had no other signs of heart disease, then the finding of a LBBB had little to no adverse prognostic significance.

No one is exactly certain what type of work-up is required for an otherwise healthy person who is found to have a LBBB.  In the modern, litigious American health care system, many doctors would indeed order a stress test and echo, but there is no guideline dictating that this has to be done.  Someone without insurance would likely be monitored by some doctors to avoid the out-of-pocket expense.

Talk to your doctor, and explain the situation to see how strongly he/she feels about the testing.

Good luck.

[summeravril]

A related discussion, LBBB was started.