The clinical spectrum of chronic His bundle block.

This report details our total experience with documented chronic His bundle block in 24 patients. Ten patients had second-degree block (eight with 2:1 block and two with type-1 block), and 14 patients had complete heart block. There were 16 women (67 percent) and eight men (33 percent) with ages ranging from 17 to 87 years. Diagnoses were as follows: hypertensive cardiovascular disease, nine patients (38 percent); arteriosclerotic heart disease, six patients (25 percent); aortic valvular disease, three patients (13 percent); primary conduction disease, two patients (8 percent); primary myocardial disease, two patients (8 percent); congenital heart block, one patient (4 percent); and traumatic heart block, one patient (4 percent). Pacing was instituted in 20 patients because of the following; congestive heart failure, seven patients; syncope, seven patients; fatigue, four patients; and recurrent dizziness, two patients. Permanent pacing was indicated within ten days of initial diagnosis in 13 patients, from 20 to 80 days in four patients, and later than 100 days in three patients. An additional two asymptomatic patients were treated with prophylactic pacing.