Clinical characterization of patients with complete fetal atrioventricular block

Fernando A. Muralles-Castillo, Servicio de Cardiología Pediátrica, Instituto Guatemalteco de Seguridad Social, Ciudad de Guatemala, Guatemala

The following article seeks to describe the clinical characterization of patients with congenital complete atrioventricular block. Information was collected from different sources, among which is the presentation of the pathology and its impact on the fetus, and the main basis was look for an association between the use of medications and its prognosis. Within the treatment to be used in patients with fetal atrioventricular block, the use of steroids, beta-adrenergic stimulators, plasma, etc., is mentioned; however, their use is controversial, since there are still many studies in which it is not defined whether they are used in isolation or together to improve the patient’s condition. Steroids are the medications most used in this pathology and also the most studied, although their use has decreased the development of hydrops and preventing a type II atrioventricular block from progressing to a complete one, it can also cause greater loss of amniotic fluid, causing oligohydramnios that could cause fetal damage. Due to this, the assessment of the use of different medications will depend on the patient’s clinical condition and multidisciplinary management should be addressed in the perinatal period to improve the prognosis of the patient and the mother.

Keywords: Complete atrioventricular block. Fibroelastosis. Fetal ventricular dysfunction. Steroids. Myocardial fibrosis.