What are the symptoms of bradycardia?

Written by Tang Li
Cardiology
Updated on September 14, 2024
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The normal heart rate for an adult is between 60-140 beats per minute. If it falls below 60 beats per minute, it is generally referred to as bradycardia. Most patients with bradycardia may not have symptoms, but those who do should be closely monitored. The symptoms of bradycardia mainly arise from a reduced cardiac output, leading to insufficient blood supply to the heart and brain, thereby causing symptoms. Patients may experience dizziness, fatigue, poor mental performance, and other symptoms. Some patients may experience dizziness, transient blackouts before the eyes, fatigue, palpitations, chest tightness, and shortness of breath. In severe cases, patients may also experience fainting.

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Causes and Treatment of Bradycardia

Bradycardia can be seen in healthy individuals, especially athletes, and also during sleep. If caused by a pathological condition, there may be organic heart disease, particularly in patients with acute myocardial infarction. If such a condition causes a significant decrease in cardiac output, affecting the blood supply to vital organs such as the heart, brain, and kidneys, then drugs like atropine or even intravenous drip of isoproterenol are used to increase the heart rate. Oral theophylline may be considered under general conditions. For severe sinus bradycardia leading to syncope where drug treatment is ineffective, it is recommended to install a permanent artificial cardiac pacemaker to prevent sudden sinus arrest.

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Is bradycardia with irregular heartbeat serious?

If bradycardia accompanied by irregular heartbeats occurs, whether it is serious and the severity depends on the cause of the bradycardia and the frequency of the irregularity. A slow heart rate can lead to severe insufficient blood supply to the heart and brain, causing some ischemic heart and brain diseases. Therefore, patients with bradycardia and irregular heartbeats should go to the hospital and undergo related examinations under the guidance of a doctor. If it is caused by a primary disease, it is necessary to treat the primary disease and use medications to increase the heart rate and correct the irregular heartbeat to avoid causing greater harm to the body.

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Written by Chen Tian Hua
Cardiology
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Causes and Hazards of Bradycardia

The main causes of bradycardia include the following: 1. Physiological bradycardia, which occurs in normal individuals such as athletes and some elderly people, mainly due to increased vagal tone; 2. Cardiac diseases, such as sick sinus syndrome, severe atrioventricular block, myocarditis, and acute inferior myocardial infarction; 3. Other diseases, such as hypothyroidism and hyperkalemia. Physiological bradycardia generally poses no harm and does not require intervention. Pathological bradycardia, when the heart rate significantly slows down, can lead to a decrease in cardiac output, causing insufficient blood supply to the brain, resulting in symptoms such as dizziness, visual obscurity, and fainting. It can also cause coronary artery supply insufficiency leading to angina, as well as symptoms of fatigue and reduced exercise tolerance, requiring timely treatment.

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Geriatrics
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What is bradycardia?

Bradycardia generally refers to a heart rate of less than 60 beats per minute, often seen in healthy young people, athletes, and during sleep. Other possible causes include hypothyroidism, obstructive jaundice, as well as severe hypoxia and hypothermia. If the patient's bradycardia does not cause other pathological conditions, such as dizziness or fainting, it generally does not require treatment. If severe dizziness and fainting occur, indicating insufficient cardiac output, medications that increase the heart rate, such as atropine or aminophylline, can be used. (These medications should be taken under the guidance of a doctor.)

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Heart failure is neither tachycardia nor bradycardia.

Heart failure refers to the condition in which the heart's pumping function is relatively or absolutely insufficient, resulting in a series of symptoms. Patients may exhibit symptoms such as chest tightness, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, and sometimes even cyanosis of the lips. Severe cases can lead to sudden death. Tachycardia and bradycardia are only due to disturbances in the patient's cardiac conduction system, causing the heart rate to accelerate or slow down. If the patient's heart function is good, the majority can compensate. However, prolonged tachycardia or prolonged bradycardia can potentially lead to heart failure. Therefore, heart failure is different from tachycardia or bradycardia.