Symptomatic high grade heart block in Lyme disease

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Infectious Diseases
• Neurology

Background:

• Lyme disease, a tick-borne illness, can present with various cardiac manifestations.
• Diagnosis relies on clinical history, geographic exposure, or erythema migrans.
• Cardiac involvement in Lyme disease can range from mild conduction abnormalities to severe heart block.

Observation:

• An unusual case of heart block developed during the course of Lyme disease.
• The patient's presentation included a highly selective cardiac abnormality.
• Diagnostic criteria for Lyme disease were carefully considered.

Findings:

• The cardiac abnormality observed was a form of heart block.
• This specific heart block was found to be remediable.
• Treatment with systemic steroids led to a prompt resolution of the cardiac issue.

Implications:

• This case highlights the importance of considering Lyme disease in patients with unexplained heart block.
• Systemic steroid therapy can be an effective treatment for Lyme disease-induced heart block.
• Early diagnosis and intervention are crucial for managing cardiac complications of Lyme disease.