Heart block in heart failure and athletes – investigating a possible new culprit

Heart block in heart failure and the athlete - the role of a novel mechanism

‘Heart block’ is when the electrical impulse that signals the heart to beat fails to pass from the top to the bottom of the heart. As a result, the chambers at the bottom of the heart (the ventricles) fail to pump blood to the lungs, brain and the rest of the body. Depending on the severity of the condition, it may be necessary to implant an artificial pacemaker to correct the heart block. Heart block can contribute to the development of heart failure. Surprisingly, athletes can also have a mild form of heart block, which can become a serious problem for veteran athletes. We currently know very little about heart block and, if we are to develop new treatments, it is essential we understand why it occurs. Researchers have suggested a new culprit for heart block. It appears that biological ‘clocks’ that time the heart rate may also control the passage of the electrical impulse from the top to the bottom of the heart, but there is not much evidence to show whether this is the case. Now, the Manchester team will use sophisticated mathematical and computer modelling of the heart to test this possibility. They will also investigate whether heart block could be the result of the heart ‘clock’ timing going wrong. Their findings could identify a new cause of heart block, opening the way for new ways to help people with heart failure and athletes alike.