Second degree AV block (patient information)

Second degree AV block
Overview
What are the symptoms?
What are the causes?
Who is at highest risk?
Diagnosis
When to seek urgent medical care?
Treatment options
Where to find medical care for Second degree AV block?
Prevention
What to expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?
Possible complications
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Ahmed Elsaiey, MBBCH [2]

What are the symptoms of Second degree AV block?

Second-degree heart block:

• The electrical impulse may not reach the lower chambers of the heart.
• The heart may miss a beat or beats and may be slow and irregular.
• You may feel dizzy, faint, or have other symptoms.
• This may be serious in some cases.

What causes Second degree AV block?

Heart block may be caused by:

• Side effects of medicines. Heart block can be a side effect of digitalis, beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, and other medicines.
• A heart attack that damages the electrical system in the heart.
• Heart diseases, such as heart valve disease and cardiac sarcoidosis.
• Some infections, such as Lyme disease.
• Heart surgery.

You may have heart block because you were born with it. You are more at risk for this if:

• You have a heart defect.
• Your mother has an autoimmune disease, such as lupus.

Treatment options

Medications to avoid

Patients diagnosed with second degree AV block(except in patients with a functioning artificial pacemaker) should avoid using the following medications:

• Adenosine
• Atenolol
• Fingolimod
• Flecainide
• Penbutolol
• Pindolol
• Propranolol
• Sotalol
• Timolol
  If you have been diagnosed with second degree AV block(except in patients with a functioning artificial pacemaker), consult your physician before starting or stopping any of these medications.