What is bradycardia?

Written by Zhou Yan
Geriatrics
Updated on September 21, 2024
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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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Written by Zhang Yue Mei
Cardiology
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What are the symptoms of a heart rate less than 60 beats per minute, which is considered bradycardia?

A heart rate below 60 beats per minute is clinically diagnosed as bradycardia. Bradycardia can occur in normal, healthy individuals as well as in patients with organic heart disease. In young adults, heavy laborers, and athletes who often exercise, the heart rate is generally below 60 beats per minute without any clinical symptoms, and it does not pose a risk to the body. This slower heart rate serves as a protection for the heart. In patients with organic heart disease, a significant decrease in heart rate can lead to clinical symptoms such as palpitations, shortness of breath, and feeling of apprehension, necessitating the adjustment of heart rate under the guidance of a doctor using effective medications.

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Written by Zhou Yan
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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Written by Chen Tian Hua
Cardiology
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How to treat bradycardia

People with bradycardia should maintain good habits in daily life, eat a light diet, exercise reasonably, avoid overwork and staying up late, refrain from smoking and drinking, and keep a relaxed mood. Medications such as Xinbao Pills can be taken to increase the heart rate. Additionally, consuming traditional Chinese medicines like ginseng can also help in increasing the heart rate. For severe bradycardia that causes repeated symptoms like dizziness, visual obscurity, or fainting, and even episodes of Adams-Stokes syndrome, such as sick sinus syndrome or third-degree atrioventricular block, it is crucial to promptly visit a hospital. Active pacing treatment should be administered to increase the patient's heart rate, in order to prevent sudden cardiac arrest and avoid sudden cardiac death.

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Written by Xie Zhi Hong
Cardiology
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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.

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Written by Zhang Yue Mei
Cardiology
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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.