Male with Long Standing Heart Failure and Left Bundle Branch Block with Acute Chest Pain: Is It Needed for Urgent Revascularization?

Background : Patients with acute heart failure and left bundle branch block (LBBB) presenting acute chest pain have many clinical challenges to perform the diagnostic and therapeutic process. Recent recommendations revealed that the patients with LBBB (new or presumably new) should be performed early revascularization. However, several clinical controversies occurred due to scientific gaps between current evidence and recommen- dations. Therefore, the review of other approaches to assess this setting might be required. Objective : This case report aims to describe factors related to early revascularization strategy in patients with long standing heart failure and left bundle branch block. Case : A 46-year-old man with the previous history of dyspnea (long-standing heart failure) was admitted to our hospital with recurrent chest pain and acute heart failure. Electrocardiogram (ECG) showed LBBB suggesting acute myocardial infarction (excessive discordance in the precordial lead). He had normal serial cardiac enzymes with ongoing ischemia symptoms. He had been decided not to perform urgent reperfusion therapy. After five days of hospitalization, he discharged home with medicines. Our case report provided an example of applying the existing algorithm to assess acute chest pain in congestive heart failure, regardless of ST-segment deviation in LBBB. Conclusion : Clinical judgement and the use of objective findings offer the best way to determine the need for early reperfusion in our case.