It's important to get a prompt, accurate diagnosis and appropriate care. See your health care provider if you are concerned about a slow heart rate. If you faint, have difficulty breathing or have chest pain lasting more than a few minutes, call 911 or emergency medical services.
When should I see my doctor? If you have a pulse rate less than 60 bpm, and you're experiencing any symptoms mentioned above, especially if you aren't very fit, it's important to see your doctor. It might help to note the times you notice your heart is beating slowly, and how you're feeling at the time.
Adults and children who have a low pulse and experience symptoms such as chest pain, fainting, or exercise intolerance should also go to the hospital. A person should contact a doctor about bradycardia when they: experience an unexplained change in heart rate that lasts for several days.
If you're sitting down and feeling calm, your heart shouldn't beat more than about 100 times per minute. A heartbeat that's faster than this, also called tachycardia, is a reason to come to the emergency department and get checked out. We often see patients whose hearts are beating 160 beats per minute or more.
The main symptom of bradycardia is a heart rate below 60 beats per minute. This abnormally low heart rate can cause the brain and other organs to become oxygen-deprived, which can lead to symptoms such as: Fainting. Dizziness.
Warning signs and symptoms of heart failure include shortness of breath, chronic coughing or wheezing, swelling, fatigue, loss of appetite, and others. Heart failure means the heart has failed to pump the way it should in order to circulate oxygen-rich blood throughout the body.
A normal resting heart rate for adults ranges from 60 to 100 beats per minute. Generally, a lower heart rate at rest implies more efficient heart function and better cardiovascular fitness. For example, a well-trained athlete might have a normal resting heart rate closer to 40 beats per minute.
There isn't a set range for when a heart rate is deemed dangerous, but Dr. Ronen says a heart rate above 100 beats per minute or in the 50s or lower while resting is often a cause for concern. However, a cardiologist should consider the degree of danger on a case-by-case basis.
A resting heart rate between 40 and 60 beats a minute during sleep is common for many people during sleep. It's also common for trained athletes, healthy young adults, and those who work out regularly to have a low heart rate while exercising – this low heart rate associated with fitness is health and normal.
An electrolyte imbalance. Too much potassium in your blood. Certain medications, including beta-blockers and antiarrhythmics. Congenital heart defects, diabetes or long-standing high blood pressure all may make bradycardia more likely, says Dr. Baez-Escudero.
In people who are not physically active, a resting heart rate below 60 is sometimes a sign of an electrical problem with the heart, a low thyroid level (hypothyroidism), or damage from a heart attack or heart disease.
In general, for adults, a resting heart rate of fewer than 60 beats per minute (BPM) qualifies as bradycardia. There are exceptions. Your heart rate may fall below 60 BPM during deep sleep. Physically active adults (and athletes) often have a resting heart rate slower than 60 BPM.
Bradycardia treatment may include lifestyle changes, medication changes or an implanted device called a pacemaker. If an underlying health problem, such as thyroid disease or sleep apnea, is causing the slow heart rate, treatment of that condition might correct bradycardia.
A specific type of bradycardia called junctional bradycardia, in which the heart rate is below 40 beats per minute, may be associated with ischemic stroke, a type of stroke in which a blood vessel to the brain is obstructed or blocked.
What many may not realize is that anxiety can cause the heartbeat to slow down as well. It's not that common, but it is possible, and in some cases the issue may not be a slow heartbeat at all but your own mind telling you that your heart rate is abnormal even when this isn't necessarily the case.
Summary: Bradycardia -- a slower than normal heartbeat -- does not increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, according to a study. The heart usually beats between 60 and 100 times a minute in an adult at rest.
Dehydration can negatively affect your organs and bodily functions, including your heart and cardiovascular system. When you are dehydrated your blood volume, or the amount of blood circulating through your body, decreases. To compensate, your heart beats faster, increasing your heart rate and your blood pressure.
Bradycardia is often associated with damage to heart tissue from some type of heart disease. Anything that increases the risk of heart problems can increase the risk of bradycardia. Risk factors for heart disease include: Older age.
A normal resting heart rate should be between 60 to 100 beats per minute, but it can vary from minute to minute.
For example, a young, strong, healthy athlete may have a resting heart rate of 30-40 beats per minute, but may easily increase his heart rate to 180 beats per minute with exercise. This is normal. Another person may have a heart rate of 30-40 beats per minute while climbing the steps, but he feels weak and tired.
When the heart can't pump enough oxygen-rich blood to meet the body's energy needs, a general feeling of tiredness or fatigue sets in. A = Activity limitation. People with heart failure are often unable to do their normal activities because they become easily tired and short of breath.