What is a complete heart block?
Despite its name, the complete block of heart has nothing to do with the obstacle of blood vessels. The complete heart block is also known as the third degree heart block or atrioventricular heart block, which is a failure of the electrical system of the heart. During this state of life -threatening life, electrical signals are not able to achieve heart chambers that are responsible for drawing blood into the body. With a complete heart block, one can suffer from cardiac arrest or even die. The condition requires immediate attention and can be treated with various methods, including medicines and pacemaker. While a person of any age may suffer from a heart block, the condition is more common in older individuals. Degenerative muscle diseases and sarcoidosis, a condition in which lumps may develop on different parts of the body, especially in the lungs and lymph nodes, also give a person at risk of heart block. In addition, if a person is on certain medicines, especially beta blockers, it may be more suitable for developing a heart block.
Complete heart block can be confirmed by different diagnostic tests. One of the most common tests is the electrocardiogram (ECG), which identifies and records electrical activities of the patient's heart using electrodes. The doctor is able to read electrical signals that are transmitted to a sheet of paper to determine the extent of the patient's heart damage.
Treatment options for complete heart block often include medicines that change electrical signals in the heart. In addition to medicine, a person with a third degree of cardiac will need a cardiac block. Small implant equipment, pacemaker is usually placed under the skin under the collarbone. The cardiceker connects with the heart of the vein and sends a slight electrical impulse to beat the heart properly.
The procedure called radiofrequency catheter ablation can also be used to treat third -degree heart blocks. This technique uses radiofrequency waves to eradicate or rechoing pieces of electrical passages responsible for irregular or fast heart rhythms. With this type of surgery, patients are usually able to leave the hospital within one day compared to a more complicated open heart surgery that includes a stay at least a week.