What Is the Treatment for a Left Anterior Fascicular Block?
There is no known therapy to treat a left anterior fascicular block. However, a biventricular pacemaker, also known as cardiac resynchronization therapy, may be used to help prevent heart failure associated with this disorder, according to University of California San Francisco.
A biventricular pacemaker is a battery-powered device used to balance the heart’s contractions in patients that show delays in ventricular action within the heart. This therapy is done for people with advanced heart failure, notes Cleveland Clinic.
Recently, researchers announced new findings with regard to left anterior fascicular blocks, or LAFB, a heart condition previously thought to be harmless. Scarring in the left ventricle of the heart led to greater instances of atrial fibrillation, congestive heart failure and death in otherwise healthy patients over the age of 65, notes UCSF. Risk of heart failure increased by 143 percent in patients with LAFB. Doctors plan to study specialized pacemakers as a possible treatment for LAFB in order to prevent heart failure. Lifestyle changes, exercise, and not using tobacco are other ways to help reduce the overall risk of heart problems.
LAFB prevents electrical signals from reaching parts of the left ventricle of the heart. It is unknown why or how scarring, or fibrosis, of the heart is associated with this electrical block.