Common Causes
A slow heart rate gets dangerous if the heart isn't able to pump enough blood to provide the body with necessary oxygen and nutrients. Warnings If your pulse rate drops too low, you may feel lightheaded, dizzy, confused or very tired. Fainting is also a risk. In severe cases, cardiac arrest or a sudden loss of heart function may occur.
Related Conditions
A low heart rate can sometimes cause dizziness or lightheadedness, in addition to fatigue, but this does not appear to be the case with you. An underactive thyroid can cause a low heart rate. Sometimes electrolyte imbalances can cause a low heart rate and this is of particular concern if someone is on a very restrictive type of diet.
How dangerous is a slow heart rate?
The heart is a muscle, and just like the other muscles in your body, it responds positively to exercise. When you’re in good shape, your heart doesn’t need to beat as often to supply your body with enough oxygen. But a slow heart rate can also be a sign of a medical problem, such as a heart condition.
What are some of the causes of an abnormally low heart rate?
If you wake up after an upsetting dream or night terror with your heart racing, your heart rate should slow as you calm down. Any drastic change in your body temperature can cause changes in your heart rate. Your body reacts to a change in temperature by triggering processes to try to regulate your body temperature.
Is a slow heart rate good or bad?
Is it normal to wake up with a slow heart rate?
When a patient has an abnormally slow resting heart rate?
When the heart does not operate as it is supposed to and develops an abnormally slow heart rate that is less than 60 beats per minute, the condition is known as bradycardia. Bradycardia can be life threatening if the heart is unable to maintain a rate that pumps enough oxygen-rich blood throughout the body.
What is abnormal heartbeat rate?
Tachycardia (tak-ih-KAHR-dee-uh) is a fast heart. The resting heart rate is greater than 100 beats a minute. Bradycardia (brad-e-KAHR-dee-uh) is a slow heartbeat. The resting heart rate is less than 60 beats a minute.
What are the 4 heart rhythms?
Sinus rhythm, sinus bradycardia, sinus tachycardia and sinus arrhythmia are all normal heart rhythms where the electrical impulses travel in a normal way through the heart.
What are the 3 types of arrhythmias?
Arrhythmia TypesPremature heartbeat. A premature, or extra, beat is a common, usually harmless type of arrhythmia that typically does not cause symptoms. ... Supraventricular arrhythmias. ... Ventricular arrhythmias.
What are the 3 types of pulse?
There are seven types of pulse.Temporal: It is felt in the head.Carotid: It is felt in the neck.Branchial: It is felt in the elbow.Femoral: It is felt at the groin.Radial: It is felt on the wrist.Popliteal: It is felt on the knee.Dorsalis pedis: It is felt on the foot.
What is abnormal heart rhythm called?
The heart's rhythm is controlled by electrical signals. An arrhythmia is an abnormality of the heart's rhythm. It may beat too slowly, too quickly, or irregularly. These abnormalities range from a minor inconvenience or discomfort to a potentially fatal problem.
What are the 5 fatal heart rhythms?
You will need to be able to recognize the four lethal rhythms. Asystole, Ventricle Tachycardia (VT), Ventricle Fibrillation (VF), and Polymorphic Ventricle Tachycardia (Torsade de pointes). Use this study guide and other resource books to review ECG interpretation.
What is low heart rate caused by?
Bradycardia can be caused by: Heart tissue damage related to aging. Damage to heart tissues from heart disease or heart attack. A heart condition present at birth (congenital heart defect)
Is bradycardia an arrhythmia?
Bradycardia is a type of abnormal heart rhythm, or arrhythmia. It occurs when the heart beats very slowly — less than 60 beats per minute.
What are the two types of bradycardia?
There are two main types of bradyarrhythmia: sinus node dysfunction and atrioventricular (AV) blocks.
What is AFib and aflutter?
In atrial fibrillation, the atria beat irregularly. In atrial flutter, the atria beat regularly, but faster than usual and more often than the ventricles, so you may have four atrial beats to every one ventricular beat. Atrial flutter is less common than atrial fibrillation.
What's the difference between AFib and SVT?
But they're actually quite different. Atrial fibrillation (AFib) is a heart rhythm problem where your heart's upper chambers (the atria) beat irregularly. Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) is a fast heart rate that begins in your atria due to abnormal electrical connections in your heart.
What if your pulse is 120?
Heart rates that are consistently above 100, even when the person is sitting quietly, can sometimes be caused by an abnormal heart rhythm. A high heart rate can also mean the heart muscle is weakened by a virus or some other problem that forces it to beat more often to pump enough blood to the rest of the body.
Should I go to the ER if my heart rate is over 100?
Most people's hearts beat between 60 and 100 times per minute. 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.
What is normal pulse by age?
Normal Heart Rate by Age ChartAgeNormal Resting Heart RateChildren 5 to 6 years old75 to 115 bpmChildren 7 to 9 years old70 to 110 bpmChildren 10 years and older and adults (including seniors)60 to 100 bpmAthletes in top condition40 to 60 bpm4 more rows•5 days ago
Is 110 pulse rate normal?
Normally, your heart rate is 60 to 100 beats per minute when you're not active. When your heart beats more than 100 times a minute at rest, that's tachycardia.
What causes a slow heart rate?
Potential medical causes of a slow heart rate include: abnormal heart rhythms. congestive cardiomyopathy.
What does it mean when your heart rate is slow?
The following symptoms can be serious: dizziness. loss of consciousness. chest pain. confusion. passing out or fainting. shortness of breath. weakness.
How to measure heart rate?
First, find your heart rate by holding a finger to the radial artery at the wrist. Then, count the number of beats per minute while you’re resting.
What is the heart rate of a person?
Your heart rate is the number of times your heart beats in one minute. Heart rate is a measure of cardiac activity. A slow heart rate is considered anything slower than 60 beats per minute for an adult or child at rest. Your heart rate should be strong and regular without any missed beats.
What is the normal heart rate for a 12 year old?
Athletes or people on certain medications may have a lower resting normal rate. The normal heart rate for children aged 1 to 12 years is 80 to 120 beats per minute.
What is the best treatment for bradycardia?
If slow heart rate is due to the effect of medication or toxic exposure, this must be treated medically. An external device ( pacemaker) implanted into the chest to stimulate heartbeats is the preferred treatment for certain types of bradycardia.
Is a slow heart rate healthy?
If it’s beating slower than the normal rate, it might indicate a medical problem. In some cases, a slow heart rate is an indication of an extremely healthy heart.
What is considered slow heart rate?
What’s considered too slow can depend on your age and physical condition. Elderly people, for example, are more prone to bradycardia. In general, for adults, a resting heart rate of fewer than 60 beats per minute (BPM) qualifies as bradycardia.
What causes bradycardia in the heart?
Causes for bradycardia include: Problems with the sinoatrial (SA) node, sometimes called the heart’s natural pacemaker. Problems in the conduction pathways of the heart that don’t allow electrical impulses to pass properly from the atria to the ventricles.
What are the symptoms of bradycardia?
Symptoms of bradycardia include: Fatigue or feeling weak. Dizziness or lightheadedness. Confusion. Fainting (or near-fainting) spells. Shortness of breath. Difficulty when exercising.
What is the best heart rate for bradycardia?
In general, for adults, a resting heart rate of fewer than 60 beats per minute (BPM) qualifies as bradycardia. But there are exceptions. Your heart rate may fall below 60 BPM during deep sleep. And physically active adults (and athletes) often have a resting heart rate slower than 60 BPM. View an animation of bradycardia.
Can bradycardia be treated?
Borderline or occasional bradycardia may not require treatment. Severe or prolonged bradycardia can be treated in a few ways. For instance, if medication side effects are causing the slow heart rate, then the medication regimen can be adjusted or discontinued.
What is it called when your heart beats slower than normal?
Sometimes people have a slower heart rate than normal. This is called bradycardia, and it isn’t necessarily a problem. It’s diagnosed when your heart beats less than 60 beats per minute.
Why is my heart rate slowing down?
Causes of a slow heart rate. It’s normal for your heart rate to change throughout the day. It speeds up when you exercise, slows down as you recover from exercising, and is usually at its lowest while you sleep. Sometimes people have a slower heart rate than normal. This is called bradycardia, and it isn’t necessarily a problem.
What is the difference between myocarditis and endocarditis?
Myocarditis and endocarditis are inflammations of the heart. Myocarditis occurs when the inflammation affects the heart muscle (the myocardium). Endocarditis occurs when the inflammation affects the inner lining of the heart (the endocardium).
How does endocarditis affect heart rate?
Myocarditis and endocarditis can slow your heart rate by damaging the electrical “wiring” that runs through the heart muscle or near the lining of the heart.
What to do if conduction system disease interferes with your daily functioning?
You may need to get a pacemaker to help restore your normal heart rate.
What is the most important question to ask about a slow heart rate?
The most important question to ask about a slow heart rate is, “What is the cause?” Since there are several, each of which has a different treatment approach, it is crucial to identify the underlying disease process. —Dr. Jay Patel
How to treat a heart attack?
It may include a combination of medications, stents (small mesh tubes that hold narrowed arteries open), and surgery. Treating a heart attack usually restores normal heart rate.