There are two main types of bradycardiasinus bradycardia and heart block.
Heart block, an abnormal throw in of bradycardia, may lead to serious symptoms and outcomes.
This article explains bradycardia symptoms and their causes.
Verywell / JR Bee
It discusses how bradycardia is diagnosed and how both types of heart rate problems are treated.
The hearts of adults at rest normally beat between 60 and 100 times per minute.
What Is Sinus Bradycardia?
Get our printable guide for your next doctor’s appointment to help you ask the right questions.
The sinus node is the part of the heart that produces electrical signals that trigger each heartbeat.
Sinus bradycardia is a heart rate between 50 to 60 beats per minute.
While technically outside of the normal range, these values can be entirely normal for some people.
A healthy body is very good at regulating the heart rate to support the bodys functions.
Why Is it Called Sinus Bradycardia?
The term “bradycardia is used to describe a heart rate thats slower than typical.
Sinus bradycardia is a throw in of slow heart rate that originates from the sinus node of your heart.
Physiological bradycardia is a form of sinus bradycardia.
People also have lower heart rates when sleeping.
Slow heart rates without symptoms usually are no cause for concern.
However, when the heart rate becomes too slow to pump enough blood, it needs treatment.
Sinus bradycardia that produces symptoms is a sign you should seek medical care.
What Is a Good Pulse Rate by Age?
Athletes often have lower resting heart rates.
What changes with age is the “target heart rate” when healthy people exercise.
For someone in their 20s, that’s 100 to 170 bpm.
If you’re in your 50s, it’s 85 to 145 bpm.
By age 70, it’s 75 to 128.
What Are the Symptoms of Sinus Bradycardia?
If the heart rate is abnormally slow, several of the bodys organs may not function normally.
However, symptoms may also be present when the body is at rest if bradycardia is severe.
Proper treatment can return the heart rate to normal.
Is Sinus Bradycardia Serious?
It’s important to know the dangers because sinus bradycardia can be serious.
This can lead to life-threatening cardiac arrest.
Over time, sinus bradycardia also may cause high blood pressure.
Early diagnosis and treatment are important.
What Causes Sinus Bradycardia?
Heart Block
The second jot down of bradycardia is heart block.
In contrast to sinus bradycardia, heart block is always an abnormal condition.
A block between the atria and ventricles causes a change in how fast the heart beats.
Partial blocks occur when the electrical signals to the heart are delayed or intermittently stopped.
A complete block happens when the signals stop entirely.
This broken communication results in potentially dangerous bradycardia.
As with abnormal sinus bradycardia, a heart block can be transient or persistent.
An electrocardiogram (ECG) will show that a slow heart rate is present.
ECG tests will help to determine whether a slow heart rate is due to sinus bradycardia or heart block.
This can often be determined by taking a careful medical history.
If other tests are needed, they may include:
How Is Sinus Bradycardia Treated?
For example, treatingsleep apneaor adjusting medications are some things that might resolve transient bradycardia.
If sinus bradycardia is reversible or produces no symptoms, it can often be managed through regular medical checkups.
In some cases, healthcare providers will do a trial of a temporary pacemaker.
How long does it takes to feel better?
How long it takes to feel better will depend on the treatment needed.
The hearts of adults at rest typically beat between 60 and 100 times per minute.
A lower-than-normal heart rate poses no problem for many people unless certain symptoms appear.
These symptoms include chest pain, dizziness, easy fatigue, and shortness of breath.
Then it’s time to consult a physician to determine the underlying cause.
The general causes of bradycardia fall into two categories: sinus node-mediated (more common) and heart block.
Treatment may involve correcting any underlying causes or implanting a pacemaker.
Contact your healthcare provider if you are concerned about stress and anxiety affecting your health.
In some cases, yes, but it will depend on the cause.
Slow heart rates due to infection or inflammation can be treated.
Medications can be changed if they lead to slow heart rates.
Keep in mind that in some cases, sinus bradycardia is actually a sign of a well-conditioned heart.
Get our printable guide for your next doctor’s appointment to help you ask the right questions.
American Heart Association.Bradycardia: Slow heart rate.
American Heart Association.Target heart rates chart.
Merck Manual Professional Version.
American Heart Association.Coronary artery disease.
2013;61:e6-e75.
doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2012.11.007
Cedars Sinai.Sinus bradycardia.
Sidhu S, Marine JE.Evaluating and managing bradycardia.Trends in Cardiovascular Medicine.
2020;30(5):265-272. doi:10.1016/j.tcm.2019.07.001
National Health Service UK.FAQs pacemaker implantation.
2019;74(7):932-987. doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2018.10.043
