tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Cureus
. 2023 Dec 27;15(12):e51166.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.51166. eCollection 2023 Dec. Permanent Complete Heart Block: A Rare Complication of Influenza Infection
Mohamed Badheeb[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Stuart Zarich[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Faria Islam Fara[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Md Mashiul Alam[SUP] 4 1 [/SUP]
Affiliations
The cardiovascular complications of viral illnesses are often underestimated in clinical practice. The influenza virus, one of the most prevalent viral infections, has been associated with a wide spectrum of arrhythmias that are typically transient and self-resolving. We present the case of a 60-year-old female with no prior cardiac comorbidities who developed a complete heart block after an influenza infection. She presented to the clinic with flu-like symptoms and was found to have a complete heart block with a junctional escape rhythm. Polymerase chain reaction testing subsequently confirmed an influenza A infection. She was initially placed on a temporary pacemaker. However, a permanent dual-chamber pacemaker was implanted as bradycardia persisted. Later follow-ups in the cardiology clinic showed that the patient remained dependent on the pacemaker. While there are a few descriptions of influenza-induced transient atrioventricular block, cases of influenza-induced permanent complete heart block are extremely rare, particularly in the absence of severe myocardial inflammation.
Keywords: bradycardia; complete av block; heart block; influenza a; permanent av block.
. 2023 Dec 27;15(12):e51166.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.51166. eCollection 2023 Dec. Permanent Complete Heart Block: A Rare Complication of Influenza Infection
Mohamed Badheeb[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Stuart Zarich[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Faria Islam Fara[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Md Mashiul Alam[SUP] 4 1 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 38283436
- PMCID: PMC10813590
- DOI: 10.7759/cureus.51166
The cardiovascular complications of viral illnesses are often underestimated in clinical practice. The influenza virus, one of the most prevalent viral infections, has been associated with a wide spectrum of arrhythmias that are typically transient and self-resolving. We present the case of a 60-year-old female with no prior cardiac comorbidities who developed a complete heart block after an influenza infection. She presented to the clinic with flu-like symptoms and was found to have a complete heart block with a junctional escape rhythm. Polymerase chain reaction testing subsequently confirmed an influenza A infection. She was initially placed on a temporary pacemaker. However, a permanent dual-chamber pacemaker was implanted as bradycardia persisted. Later follow-ups in the cardiology clinic showed that the patient remained dependent on the pacemaker. While there are a few descriptions of influenza-induced transient atrioventricular block, cases of influenza-induced permanent complete heart block are extremely rare, particularly in the absence of severe myocardial inflammation.
Keywords: bradycardia; complete av block; heart block; influenza a; permanent av block.