Left bundle branch block

Ah, ye olde age. It hath its charms, but they're fleeting.

I believe the drug you are thinking of is furosemide, which is used to lower blood pressure. I could be wrong, of course, but that's my guess.

Causes of LBBB are:
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/23287-left-bundle-branch-block

Sorry you have this new diagnosis. Is the prednisone for your lungs? Do you have symptoms related to the left bundle branch block?

I hope you can get in to a cardiologist quickly and that you are reassured, or treated effectively. Keep us posted!

I was diagnosed with Left Bundle Branch Block (LBBB) at the same time I was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation (Afib) almost eight years ago (at the age of 58). After my diagnosis, I learned that my father also had the same condition. While LBBB isn’t generally considered a heritable disorder, the American Heart Association (AHA) notes that several genetic mutations have been implicated in bundle branch block. So, who knows?

I mention my father because he is 95 years old and in good health, which gives me some hope. I believe that all the medications I’ve been on since (beta blocker, statin, blood thinner, diuretic, and receptor blocker) help manage both Afib and LBBB.

For years, my Afib and LBBB were generally well-controlled—until I finally got COVID. After that, my heart went haywire, and I ended up needing an ablation. Thankfully, since then, I’ve been heart-problem-free for almost 16 months (knocking on wood).

Wishing you good health!

LBBB is not necessarily a bad diagnosis. Many factors affect how this effects heart function. I have had it for ~ 10-12 years. I have had aflutter since rendered gone by an ablation 12 years ago. I just had my 2nd ablation in Sept for Afib and am hoping for the best. I am being treated for 2 tick diseases which complicates my ability to withstand healthy robust physical activity. But that said I get an ECHO every two years as my LBBB has been stable. As of right now I do not need any intervention for it. I do not have high blood pressure nor am I overweight or have diabetes. I have no symptoms from it and I already have what is technically "bradycardia". But I not only inherited my father's low heart rate but I also was very athletic much of my adult life. So my heart beat at 48 bpm feels real good to me. Wait on getting your heart functions tested to understand how this may impact your life. I will be 77 in 2 months and am fighting to get my strength and conditioning back while being treated for babesia and bartonella which affect my life far more that LBBB does.

@guinivere
I was diagnosed with LBBB decades ago. It was found on a stress test for SWAT team. I had a catherization which revealed no cardiovascular disease. From my workup I advised had a virus infection just prior to diagnosis. I was then diagnosed with cardiomyopathy.

The virus had entered my heart and caused scar tissue. That is what LBBB is. The normal electrical path is block. I was told back then that many pilots have it. What you really need to watch and have your medical specialist watch is how the heart reacts to it. Does your BP rise and can cause HF over time, etc.

It is too bad that can't see cardiologist sooner. I can't give any feedback on why you were given prednisone. It sound like something else was noticed but cannot comment on as don't know what all your tests revealed nor a medical professional.

I would push for a earlier appt. and asked them to set up if there is a cancellation and get in sooner. What I found was in my case the anxiety over having to wait and start treatments or what cardiololgist can lead to more stress and worry which can affect your mental and physical health.
Good luck.

Diagnosed 20 years ago with LBBB at age 58, placed on a BP med. 15 years later Afib came along with an ablation and then a diagnosis of sick sinus syndrome and a pacemaker. For me, LBBB was the slow onset of more electrical heart issues. See if the cardiologist will refer you to an EP.

I have idiopathic cardiomyapathy with LBBB and frequent PVCs. A year and two months after diagonsis in Jan. 2025 I saw finally got in to see an EP. I have no heart disease or co-morbidities. He said my PVCs we so frequent and scattered around my heart that he could not reccomend ablation. That was my hope to address my heart failure. Three cardiologists said my LBBB was likely caused by an unknown virsus (code word for Covid caused). I had Covid in 2020 but didn't go to the ER because people were dying in the hospitals. I stayed in the house isolated from my grandchildren and son and got better. Also I was caring for my grands, whose mother died of Covid, because son was essential worker and there was no daycare. Now I have unexplained electrical heart failure. How many others are there in the USA like me?

@dizzyprizzy
I also have a LBBB. It was diagnosed as virus caused because a heart Catherization did not reveal and cardiovascular disease.

Any virus can get into your heart so not just caused COVID. I had a bad virus 20 years ago and my first stress test revealed the LBBB. With the recent virus infection and no cardiovascular disease my LBBB was attriubuted to a virus getting into heart and causing scars.

You say you have heart failure. What is your EF. My EP says the heart develops different electrical patterns to compensate for the LBBB.

Your EP said same thing to me about doing ablations. My PVCs in LV were coming from 3 different areas so wanted to try medication. I was put on Mexiltine (spell) which cut my PVCs in half and did not have any episodes after going on it of tachacardia.

EF is between 30-35 per most of the tests. Diagnosed 11-21-23. One heart MRI revealed 39 EF on 3-19-24. I have had two episodes of arrthymia where by my heart wasn't really beating consistently. On 8-17-24 and 2-8-25. A trip to ER fixed the first one after a few hours. I don't remember the treatment. The second episode in 2-25 wasn't as bad and I just laid around a few days until it corrected itself. ,I recovered each time it takes me months to get my energy back and I am gradually getting weaker. I have learned not to get too excited because that only makes matters worse.

@dizzyprizzy
Most EP and cardiologist will recommend an ICD at around 30 EF. Why, because when it gets that low irregular heart beats are common.

I have a ICD/Pacemaker and my pacemaker is set for 70 BPM. It keeps my heart in rhythm.
Have you discussed medications for your arrythmia? Thers are some excellent ones out there that can really help.

What my heart failure and EP have advised me is to keep active. Your heart and cardiovascular system needs exercise to keep you heart from getting weaker. It is why I mentioned medications as some are very great with low EF. Has any of your doctors mentioned Entresto or carvididol, etc.

My Mayo HF tole me 25 years ago I would have told you to go home and have bed rest now we tell our HF patients to get exercise. Now I caution writing that as any exercise program when you have heart or cardiovascular disease should be done with concurrence of your medical doctors.

My EF is not around 25 and has been that way for over a decade. I believe it is because I exercise and take medications that help not only with my arrythmia but those medications that help with EF and HF.