Heart Block Recovery after Revascularization of Inferior Myocardial Infarction

Heart block is common among patients with inferior infarction. The aim of this study was to evaluate heart block frequency after revascularization therapy in patients with inferior infarction. One hundred thirty-three patients with inferior wall myocardial infarction (MI) were enrolled in this study and underwent myocardial revascularization therapy (thrombolytic therapy, coronary artery bypass graft, and percutaneous angioplasty). Heart block (based on electrocardiography) was evaluated before revascularization therapy. The relationship between heart block recovery time and treatment type was defined. Twenty-six (19.5%) patients were female (mean age=24.6±6.5 years). Fifty-nine (44.4%) patients did not have heart block. First, second, and third-degree heart block were seen in 59 (44.4%), 4 (3.1%), and 11 (8.3%) patients, respectively. Heart block recovery during 24 hours after inferior MI was seen in 30.8% in the patients treated by thrombolytic therapy, 50.1% in the patients treated by precutaneous angioplasty, and 11.1% in the patients treated by medical therapy (p value=0.01). Heart block recovery during 24 hours after inferior wall MI was more frequent in the patients treated by percutaneous coronary intervention. Rapid revascularization may cause fast recovery from heart block in patients with inferior MI.