Heart Block Disorder And Pacemaker

The heart is one of the most vital organs, as it delivers blood, oxygen and other nutrients to every part of the body.

- DR HASRI SAMION

Therefore, any minor disruption to its functions can be detrimental.

One such interference is heart block – a condition that affects the heart’s electrical system and causes it to beat too slowly.

According to IJN Senior Consultant Paediatric Cardiologist Dr Hasri Samion, the condition has various degrees depending on the extent of electrical signal impairment.

He said heart block, or slow heart rate condition can be either congenital (present at birth) or due to heart diseases and heart surgery.

Dr Hasri cautioned that a congenital heart block does not heal over time with the child’s growth and requires immediate medical attention to avoid any risks.

He said the condition is more common among newborns whose mothers had an immunological illness called Systemic Lupus Erythematosus during pregnancy.

“If the mother exhibits any symptom of the condition during pregnancy, it’s best to treat the mother to reduce the risk on the child.”

The common symptoms of heart block include shortness of breath, fatigue or feeling weak, confusion, fainting spells, change in skin colour (turning blue) and difficulty when exercising.

To diagnose the condition, Dr Hasri said the patient should undergo an electrocardiogram (ECG) test for 24 hours to record the heart’s electrical activity.

“If there are abnormal rhythms and the heart pauses for more than three to four seconds, it means the patient has heart block and needs urgent treatment to avoid lifethreatening consequences such as hypoxia (lack of oxygen supply at the tissue level),” said Dr Hasri who is also IJN’s chief clinical officer.