Patients with congenital complete atrioventricular heart block can be asymptomatic or can have subtle signs and symptoms that can easily be attributed to other causes.

Congenital complete atrioventricular block (CCAVB) occurs from fetal age to young adult-hood in a person who has had no other cardiac arrhythmia detected before the heart block and no other history or signs and symptoms of generalized disease.1 In this article, I present the etiology of CCAVB, risk factors, electrophysiology, pathophysiology, clinical features, diagnostic test findings, treatment, a case study, implications for nurses, and teaching topics for patients with pacemakers. Increased awareness of suspecting an atrioventricular heart block, in children and young adults undergoing a physical examination or who are hospitalized for unrelated problems and then found to have a slow heart rate, will ensure earlier recognition of this problem. Early recognition can help prevent cardiac decompensation and sudden cardiac death in these young...

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