Human heart is a vital organ which works endlessly throughout the day. The rate at which the blood is pumped is called cardiac output which is the amount of blood pumped per minute. The cardiac output determines your heart health. Common heart problems are angina, heart attack, Arrhythmia, bradycardia, tachycardia, Cardiomyopathy etc. Here we will discuss in detail about the causes and effects of Bradycardia.

What is Bradycardia?

Bradycardia is a word derived from an Ancient Greek which means Slow (Brady) and heart (cardia). What is bradycardia in lay man term means slow heart rate i.e. below 60 beats per minute (bpm) for an average adult. It can in considered normal in some situations like in sleeping or for athletes but when your body suffers continuously from symptoms such as dizziness, fatigue, tiredness or even fainting then that is a big problem for you because it shows your heart is not working properly and the amount of blood supplied to your organs are not enough and you require medical assistance immediately.

Types of bradycardia are:
  • Sinus bradycardia occurs from slow rate of sinus rhythm
  • heart block occurs from the disturbed signals between ventricles and atria
  • sick sinus syndrome occurs from problems from the sinus node
  • tachy-brady syndrome occurs from adjusting fast and slow rates of bpm
Severe bradycardia occurs when the heart is unavailable to pump enough blood to the whole body. In the beats per minutes are lower than 40. It is an alarmingly dangerous condition which should seek immediate medical help.

Bradycardia and Tachycardia are overlapping terms. Bradycardia means slow heart rate whereas tachycardia means fast heart rate i.e. more than 100 beats per minute. It can be normal or abnormal depending upon the individuals such as it is normal for adults but for people of old age it is not normal. Severe tachycardia will lead to heart strokes, failures and even death. Its treatment includes medicines and even surgeries to control the heart beat and bring it to normal range.

Symptoms of Bradycardia

Some of the Bradycardia symptoms are stated as below

  • Shortness of breath while doing minimum work
  • Pre-syncope
  • Sporadic blackouts
  • Angina pectoris
  • Indecisiveness
  • Memory problems
  • Dyspnea or difficulty in breathing
  • Lightheadedness
  • Difficulty in absorbing situations
  • Heart palpitations
Bradycardia diagnosis by a medical supervisor should be done immediately if you are continuously suffering from above mentioned symptoms.

Causes of Bradycardia

In each individual bradycardia is caused by different reasons it can be with age, physical activity, diet, genetics etc. some of the common causes for bradycardia are as follows

  • Congenital Heart Defect is a rare heart condition where the individual is born with heart problems.
  • It can be a symptoms of a prior heart surgery
  • Myocarditis which is inflammation of one’s heart tissues.
  • Hypothyroidism is an issue related to thyroid gland
  • It can also occur due to disturbed sleep cycle of individuals.
  • Lupus
  • Heart damaged due to aging
  • Results of prior heart attacks.
There are also some medications which causes bradycardia. These medicines mostly contains opioids and sedatives, they are mostly given to treat heart and mental issues.


How is Bradycardia Diagnosed?

Bradycardia diagnosis can be done by two ways

Physical examination

A physical examination is a first step in diagnosing bradycardia. Here a doctor checks a patients pulse and uses a stethoscope to check for the heart rhythm.

An Electrocardiogram (ECG)

This test is conducted by considering some important terms such as P wave, PR interval, QRS complex, heart rate etc. Bradycardia ECG findings can further help to search the underlying cause of the disease.

Treatment options for Bradycardia

Bradycardia treatment can be treated in multiple ways. Some are as follows

Medications

Oral medications are prescribed to patients with less problems whereas injectable medicines are also available and are prescribed depending upon the situation to the patient.

Treating the cause

The main cause of bradycardia is first observed and treated. There can be multiple causes for bradycardia such as genetics and prior heart surgeries and heart attacks etc.

Pacemakers

Pacemakers are implanted to the patients. This device sends electrical signals to the heart to make it help beat faster. There are temporary pacemakers available which are put on the wrist of the patients and are removed after the treatment. On the other hand permanent pacemakers are also available which are implanted inside the patient’s body and monitored regularly.

Routine alterations and personal transformation

By changing your lifestyle bradycardia can easily be controlled. It mostly includes giving up on smoking and giving up on alcohol. Making exercise a part of your daily routine. Being overweight can also be an underlying cause of heart disease so maintaining your weight is also essential if you want to keep your heart healthy. Weight management is a vital element in treating all of heart’ disease.

How is it living with Bradycardia?

  • Bradycardia is a disease where your heart rate is slower than usual i.e. 50 bmp. Although for most people it is harmless but severe bradycardia can be life-threatening.  
  • By following bradycardia management guidelines, a person can remain healthy and out of complications. It mostly includes following a healthy lifestyle, quitting smoking and drinking alcohol. 
  • Smoking and drinking are the strictly prohibited if you are a heart patient. Exercising daily can also help in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. 
  • Regular exercise is essential for every individual. eckups
  • Diet should be healthy anchd in a portioned controlled. Prescribed medicines should be taken on time and regular doctor checkup should be considered essential. Proper medical guidelines should be applied.
  • Bradycardia in athletes is normal because of intense training. Their hearts beast slower than an average individual but it is normal for them.

Conclusion

Bradycardia results when your heart beat is slow than usual that means the rate at which your heart pumps blood to your organs is slow. In some cases it is considered very normal like athletes, because of intense training their hearts beat at a much slower rate than normal individuals. In other cases it is very fatal and should be immediately treated. Bradycardia can be caused by many thing like aging, heart surgeries, genetics, etc. in most cases its treatment is available.

Please book an appointment with the best Cardiologist in Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad, and all major cities of Pakistan through InstaCare, or call our helpline at 03171777509 to find the verified doctor for your disease.