Bradycardia is an abnormally slow heartbeat, or heart rhythm. An abnormal heart rhythm is called an arrhythmia. Arrhythmias result from a problem in your heart's electrical system.
A typical heart rate is about 60-100 beats per minute. If you have bradycardia, your heart rate is slower than 60 beats per minute. The slower your heart beats, the less blood it pumps to your body. if your heart beats too slowly, your body may not get enough blood and oxygen to function properly.
Another name for bradycardia: bradyarrhythmia.
Bradycardia is caused by an abnormality in your heart's electrical system. In some cases, your heart's natural pacemaker (the sinoatrial node) may not create enough electrical signals in your heart. In other cases, the electrical signal does not travel down the typical pathways.
However, the underlying cause of bradycardia varies from person to person. Sometimes doctors cannot identify the cause. Other times bradycardia is caused by aging, medications, or an existing heart condition.
Some people with bradycardia don't have any symptoms. Others may have episodes of:
- Fatigue
- Shortness of breath
- Dizziness or fainting
- Chest Pain
- Disturbed Sleep
- Palpitations (feeling that your heart is racing or that your heartbeat is irregular)
Even routine activities - going up a few stairs or walking to the mailbox - can give you symptoms like shortness of breath. Usually the symptoms of bradycardia appear gradually. People sometimes think the symptoms are due to aging, rather than a heart problem.
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