Bundle Branch Block (BBB)
Overview
Plain-Language Overview
A Bundle Branch Block (BBB) is a condition affecting the heart's electrical system, specifically the pathways that control how the heart beats. It involves a delay or blockage in the electrical signals traveling through the heart's bundle branches, which are part of the heart's conduction system. This disruption can cause the heart's ventricles to beat out of sync, potentially leading to an irregular heartbeat or less efficient pumping. The condition primarily affects the cardiovascular system and can be detected on an electrocardiogram (ECG). While some people with BBB may have no symptoms, others might experience palpitations, dizziness, or fatigue. BBB can be caused by heart disease, injury, or aging of the heart's electrical system.
Clinical Definition
Bundle Branch Block (BBB) is a cardiac conduction abnormality characterized by delayed or blocked electrical impulse propagation through one of the two main bundle branches (right or left) of the His-Purkinje system. This results in asynchronous ventricular depolarization and altered QRS complex morphology on the ECG, typically with a QRS duration ≥120 ms. The underlying pathology often involves fibrosis, ischemic heart disease, cardiomyopathy, or degenerative conduction system disease. Right BBB (RBBB) and left BBB (LBBB) have distinct ECG patterns and clinical implications. BBB can impair ventricular contraction timing, potentially reducing cardiac output and increasing the risk of arrhythmias or heart failure. It is an important marker of underlying cardiac pathology and may influence management decisions in patients with structural heart disease.