Bradycardia

Symptoms

Symptoms of bradycardia are:

• Dizziness or feeling lightheaded.

• Weakness.

• Trouble breathing.

• Fainting.

• Sleepiness.

• More trouble exercising than normal because of tiredness (fatigue).

• Confusion or trouble concentrating.

Causes

Bradycardia can have many causes. Some can be linked to your heart. But some may be linked to other things.

Nonheart-related causes:

• Being older.

• A side effect of certain medicines. These include beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, digitalis, clonidine, lithium, and medicines to treat arrhythmias, such as amiodarone.

• Health conditions, like low thyroid (hypothyroidism) and electrolyte disorder. Other examples are low body temperature (hypothermia) and sleep apnea.

• Athletes, especially long-distance runners, may have a slow heart rate. This can be normal.

• Brain injury, such as stroke or bleeding inside the brain.

Heart-related causes:

• Coronary artery disease. This includes angina or past heart attack (acute myocardial infarction).

• Heart valve disease.

• Heart muscle disease (cardiomyopathy).

• Congestive heart failure.

• Sick sinus syndrome. This is when your heart's natural pacemaker is no longer working correctly.

• Heart block. This is when your heart's natural electrical pathways no longer work correctly.

• Diseases that enter the heart, such as sarcoid.

• Heart infections.

Sometimes the cause for the arrhythmia can't be found.

Bradycardia that causes symptoms is sometimes reversible. When more severe bradycardia continues, you may need a pacemaker. Bradycardia may not cause symptoms. In this case, your health care provider may decide to watch it over time.

Home care

You can care for yourself at home:

• Go back to your normal activities when you are feeling back to normal.

• If you have any of the symptoms of bradycardia when you exert yourself, stop. Don't exert yourself. Wait until you have seen your health care provider for an assessment.

• Work with your provider on any lifestyle changes you need. These might mean changing your diet, stopping smoking if you are a smoker, and starting an exercise program.

Follow-up care

Follow up with your health care provider as advised.

Call 911

Call 911 right away if:

• You have chest pain.

• You have chest pain that spreads to the shoulder, arm, neck, or back.

• You have trouble breathing.

• You have a slow heart rate with dizziness or lightheadedness.

• You fainted or lost consciousness.

When to get medical care

Contact your health care provider if:

• You have occasional weakness.

• You feel dizzy or lightheaded.

• You have abnormal trouble exercising.