The epidemiology of right bundle branch block and its association with cardiovascular morbidity--the Reykjavik Study

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I S Thrainsdottir1, T Hardarson, G Thorgeirsson

  • 1Department of Medicine, Landspitalinn, University Hospital of Iceland, Reykjavik.

European Heart Journal
|December 1, 1993
PubMed

Insights

Right bundle branch block (RBBB) prevalence increases with age. In younger individuals, RBBB is linked to hypertension and elevated glucose in women and men, respectively, suggesting underlying cardiovascular disease risks.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Epidemiology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • The Reykjavik Study is a long-term prospective cardiovascular survey.
  • It included a representative population of 9135 men and 9627 women, aged 33-79 years, from 1967-91.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the prevalence, incidence, and associations of right bundle branch block (RBBB).
  • To explore the relationship between RBBB and cardiovascular risk factors and mortality.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of data from the Reykjavik Study, a prospective cardiovascular survey.
  • Identification of RBBB cases and assessment of their association with age, hypertension, blood glucose, heart size, and other cardiovascular conditions.

Main Results:

  • RBBB prevalence and incidence increase with age in both men and women.
  • In men under 60, RBBB is associated with hypertension, elevated fasting blood glucose, and increased heart size.
  • In men of all ages with RBBB, associations were found with cardiomegaly, ischemic heart disease, arrhythmias, and bradycardia. Higher heart disease mortality was observed in men with RBBB, though not significant after multivariate analysis.
  • In women under 60, hypertension was related to RBBB.

Conclusions:

  • RBBB prevalence and incidence rise with age.
  • In younger individuals, RBBB is often associated with hypertension and elevated blood glucose, indicating potential underlying cardiovascular disease.
  • While RBBB in men showed associations with adverse cardiac outcomes and mortality, these were not significant after adjusting for risk factors.

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