MHVI Owners Manual . Conditions . Heart Rhythm Disturbances . Slow Heart Rhythms

The normal adult resting heart rate is between 50 and 90 beats per minute. Bradycardia, a pulse rate below 50 beats per minute, can be caused by certain medicines that you are taking, or by abnormalities in your heart's electrical system. Slow heart rhythms may be normal for some people, such as well conditioned athletes. If your pulse rate is too slow for your body's needs, you may experience fatigue, light-headedness, shortness of breath, or even fainting spells. Slow heartbeats can occur continuously or they can happen all of a sudden and return to normal just as abruptly as they began.

Bracycardia

Bradycardia can be detected by your doctor during physical examination while listening to your heartbeat, or by having an EKG (see Diagnostic Testing section). If you are having symptoms that your doctor thinks may be caused by bradycardia, you might be asked to wear a special device called a Holter or event monitor which can detect intermittent slowing of your heart beat. At times, another test called an electrophysiology study (EPS) might be recommended (see Diagnostic Testing section). If you have bradycardia, your doctor may change your medications if they are the cause. If your symptoms persist, your doctor may recommend having a pacemaker implanted to keep your heart rate at a safe level (see Therapeutic Procedures section).

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