Open AccessRight bundle‐branch block unmasking a myocardial infarction
Author(s) -
Gonzalez Mario D.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
clinical cardiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.263
H-Index - 72
eISSN - 1932-8737
pISSN - 0160-9289
DOI - 10.1002/clc.4950250511
Subject(s) - medicine , right bundle branch block , cardiology , bundle branch block , myocardial infarction , bundle , block (permutation group theory) , precordial examination , infarction , electrocardiography , combinatorics , materials science , mathematics , composite material
A patient with an acute anteroseptal myocardial infarction and intermittent right bundle‐branch block is presented. Abnormal Q waves in right precordial leads were only observed during right bundle‐branch block. In the absence of right bundle‐branch block, depolarization of the right ventricular free wall concealed the abnormal Q waves typical of an anteroseptal infarct. Right bundle‐branch block, by preventing early activation of the right ventricular free wall, facilitated the correct diagnosis and localization of the infarction.