If You Need to Pace the Right Ventricle, Pace the Left as Well

In patients with atrioventricular block and LVEFs ≤50%, outcomes were better with biventricular pacing than with right ventricular pacing.

Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT), or biventricular pacing, is beneficial in patients with wide QRS complexes and left ventricular ejection fractions (LVEFs) less than 35%. However, the benefits of CRT have rarely been tested in patients with LVEFs greater than 35%. In the BLOCK HF trial, investigators enrolled individuals with LVEFs ≤50% who had an indication for a pacemaker because of atrioventricular (AV) block or markedly prolonged PR interval on AV-node conduction testing.

In all, 691 patients in the U.S. and Canada received a biventricular pacemaker or, if indicated, a biventricular implantable cardioverter-defibrillator. Patients were randomized to right ventricular (RV) or biventricular pacing. During a mean follow-up of 37 mon…

Reviewing Author

Mark S. Link, MD

Disclosures

Editorial BoardsCirculation; UpToDate

Mark S. Link, MD

Disclosures

Editorial BoardsCirculation; UpToDate

If You Need to Pace the Right Ventricle, Pace the Left as Well

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Reviewing Author