7 Facts About Bradycardia : Causes and Symptoms

Bradycardia is a slow or irregular heart rhythm, usually fewer than 60 beats per minute. At this rate, the heart is not able to pump enough oxygen-rich blood to the body during normal activity or exercise. As a result, you may feel dizzy or have chronic lack of energy, shortness of breath, or even fainting spells. What's too slow for you may depend on your age and physical condition. Physically active adults (and athletes) often have a resting heart rate slower than 60 BPM but it doesn't cause problems and is normal for them.



Source
Symptoms
A heart rhythm that's too slow can cause insufficient blood flow to the brain with symptoms such as:

• Fatigue or feeling tired or weak
• Dizziness or lightheadedness
• Fainting or near-fainting spells
• Some people may feel short of breathe

Causes
Bradycardia can be caused by:

• Changes in the heart that are the result of aging.
• Diseases that damage the heart's electrical system. These include coronary artery disease, heart attack, and infections such as endocarditis and myocarditis.
• Conditions that can slow electrical impulses through the heart. Examples include having a low thyroid level (hypothyroidism) or an electrolyte imbalance, such as too much potassium in the blood.

Treatment
The treatment strategy for bradycardia depends on what is causing the slower than normal heart rate as well as the patient’s symptoms. If another medical problem, such as hypothyroidism, is causing a slow heart rate, treating it may indirectly affect bradycardia. Treating these problems with new medicines, or adjusting the doses of the medicines you are currently taking, may restore a normal heartbeat.