left bundle branch block

I've been diagnosed with a left bundle branch block.  I've had this condition for a number of years.  I don't know how it occurred, or what it means.  I've never had a heat attack to my knowlege and I'm in very good health for my age.  I turned 79 this August.  I haven't led a sedentary life style.  I'm very active and have been exercising at Curves about 2 to 3 times a week.


This discussion is related to Left Bundle Branch Block.

[ChickaBoom]

Your heart has a right bundle branch and a left bundle branch. The bundle branches are part of the conduction system of the heart - it is how the electricity of the heart moves through your ventricles. You can think of them as highways carrying electicity.  Your left bundle branch - the highway the carries electricity to your left ventricle - has a roadblock. To get around this roadbloack, your heart's electricity goes down to your right ventricle then has to take slower intercity routes to get to your left ventricle.  As a result of taking the slow intercity route, the wave of electrical flow through your ventricles has been slowed down and makes for a prolonged QRS on your ECG.

Mostly, this doesn't cause a problem especially since you have had it for a while and are active and able to exercise without getting short of breath.

People who very prolonged bundle branch blocks usually are limited on the amount of activity they can do - just everyday things tire them quickly because their right ventricle and the left ventricle aren't working together like they are suppose to and they don't get as much blood pumped to their body.

By itself, the LBBB doesn't have to mean anything and since you are very active probably not causing you any problems.  You still need to be worked up by your doctor to find out why you have it.

You can read more about it here at http://heartdisease.about.com/cs/arrhythmias/a/BBB.htm