bradycardia

• By Jananie
• Reply 3420600
• October 1, 2012 at 7:44 am
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Yes. I do. My Dad has it too so I think it can sometimes be hereditary. My heartrate sitting at my desk is around 52. Sometime when I relaxing at home it can be around 49. Being really physically fit can lower it a lot too. My son-in-law is a marathon runner and his resting heart rate is in the low 40's all the time! Mine is not from that unfortunately:) When I was in the hospital for a heart cath, the bed side heart monitor they hooked me up to sounded an alarm the minute it was hooked up. She said it was registering a low heart rate so I told her that I had bradycardia. She asked me what "my" normal heart rate and then she set it to sound an alarm at 45 bmp so it wouldn't keep going off. It went off a few times in the middle of the night and when I would glance at the monitor it sometimes read as low as 41. I don't think I have any issues with it except that my cardiologist did say that bradycardia can trigger my a-fib so that's why sometimes when I'm relaxing my a-fib will kick in. Not sure if I have any other symptoms. Are you having trouble with bradycardia and if so what are you experiencing?

• By cecilian99
• Reply 3421431 · In reply to 3420600 by Jananie
• October 1, 2012 at 12:37 pm
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I became aware of my low heart rate about 5 years ago. One day I felt bad and checked my blood pressure and noticed that my heart rate was 49 bmp. I checked with my primary care doctor, an EKG was okay and a 24-Holter Monitor showed bradycardia. He hasn't recommended that I see a cardiologist and really doesn't seem too concerned about it. I just saw him again today for my regular 6 month check-up and told him about feeling really, really exhausted one morning in church as well as a little dizziness and not thinking clearly. While sitting there in church I checked my pulse and was surprised to see that it was at 44 bmp, I checked it with the monitor when I got home and it hadn't changed but one point. That was lower than I've ever seen it, most days it is around 52 to 56 bmp. My blood pressure is low most of the time too, around 105/60 however, I guess I get white coat syndrome when I see the doctor, today it was 140/80 in his office and my pulse was 60 bmp. His nurse took it just before he came in and jokingly commented that she didn't think I had a BP, she didn't say what it was after the second try. I'm not sure why my heart rate is like this but I sure didn't like the way I felt at 44 bmp. and i hope it doesn't go that low again. Maybe I'm just way too relaxed but I doubt it, my husband has lots of medical problems and is in a wheelchair so that keeps me pretty busy. Do you ever feel mental fogginess with your bradycardia? Thanks for the reply.

• By Rosetazoriginal (Inactive)
• Reply 3423001
• October 1, 2012 at 9:22 pm
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My story is a lot like you all. I have high blood pressure so routinely check my bp and up till about a yr ago my resting heart rate was about 65. It's always been below 70 resting and when I was younger I was a very active person living on a farm.

I noticed my heart rate was in the 50's for quite some time. In the spring I began feeling unwell and light headed/dizzy while doing everyday household tasks. Nothing strenuous at all. I checked my blood pressure thinking it must be low but my heart rate was 44. At my primary care doctor's office it registered 38 and my doctor looked very concerned so made an appointment with a cardiologist.

I've had had an echo, stress test and 48 hr holter. Those were essentially good. The echo showed a little fluid around my heart but nothing worrisome he said.

I had a total thyroidectomy and papillary cancer in 2007 and have been taking levothyroxin ever since, will as long as I live. My last tsh was showing that I was hypothyroid so the cardiologist upped my levothyroxin and 8 weeks later the tsh was much better, nearly hyperthyroid. I have more energy and my mind seems to function much better too.

But, my heart rate has not gone up much. I average around 48 bpm and often am down around 44 or lower. My cardiologist has dismissed me saying I have no heart disease. In the past I've had an echo, showing tricuspid regurgitation and left ventrical slightly stiff.

I'm going to get the reports and cd of my echo, my holtor results and whatever was written in my records about the stress test. My heart rate got up to 144 and I worked really hard to do well and finish it.

In other words I was not happy with this cardiologist's disclosure, diagnosis or the lack of concern about my heart rate and the symptoms from it.

I guess I'm not the only one who got sent away with no advice other than to come back if I have symptoms related to a problem with my heart. Well, what about this feeling faint, extremely tired all of a sudden and of course the strange beats that are so strong, instead of a rise in the heart rate due to exercise, walking, shopping etc.

• By Jananie
• Reply 3423773
• October 2, 2012 at 7:50 am
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As far as mental fogginess....hmmmm.....I guess I never thought about it in regards to bradycardia. I do get it at times but I guess i can always relate it to so many other things like too much stress or keeping such a busy schedule or....since I'm in my early 50's and having hot flashes and night sweats...to menopause or menofog as some women call it. I guess I might research bradycardia and mental fogginess and see what I come up with :)

• By Writer01
• Reply 3424028
• October 2, 2012 at 9:07 am
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I also have that. I noticed that last time in ER the heart monitor would beep intermittently as my heart rate slowed down . The nurse told me I had Bradycardia. I had to research it because it was just one more thing in the whole heart adventure. I still think the Coreg adds to it. The three years before I worked out with a frenzy, high impact and strength training classes body combat, TKO, Zumba, Body Pump also walking one to two miles most every day of the week. I thought maybe that has something to do with it. I miss that level of fitness and was never at ER or had heartburn and indigestion like now .

• By Floraggma
• Reply 3427619
• October 3, 2012 at 11:24 am
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Bradycardia can be a family trait, several members of my family have low resting heart rates and blood pressure. Very fit people will have a (sometimes significantly) lower resting heart rate - in these situations a low rate is normal. Some medications including beta blockers and calcium channel blockers will lower the heart rate, that should be monitored and if the rate becomes too low to function comfortably talk to your doc about a change of meds. If your heart rate drops quite a bit for no obvious reason you should get in to see your doctor as soon as possible, in other words if there has been a big change in your normal you need to follow up.

• By pphockeygirl
• Reply 3437524
• October 6, 2012 at 10:31 pm
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My bp can flex from 120/ 71 to 73/52 my dr's are not to worried about it. but, i have had symptoms of feeling light headed, weird inner body faint feeling, and arms feeling numb. nothing

• By cecilian99
• Reply 3437918 · In reply to 3437524 by pphockeygirl
• October 7, 2012 at 6:10 am
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Seems doctors don't worry about much anymore....

• By LORFLO
• Reply 3438782
• October 7, 2012 at 1:58 pm
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For all mentioned above, in my nursing when the heart rate is lower than 60 at rest by significant numbers (in the 40's) usually a pacemaker was discussed with the patient. Always evaluating the medications the doctor has prescribed is taken into consideration. Also, not being hydrated enough (fluids, water), can present with lower HR. When talking to these doctors, have a diary of the days and what you were doing at the time. If you are up and about and the HR is at that low area, let him know. He needs to give you more information asto the reason the HR is down, as well with the low BP. The 73/52 would be an alarm for me as a nurse. Taken any stress tests??
See where your HR goes as well as BP when you are monitored. Find out what your ejection fraction numbers are when the doctor gives you information after the test. Ejection fraction gives you results regarding the output of blood (how heart is contracting). If not satisfied with the doctor and how you are feeling search out another heart doctor that is highly recommended.
One more thing, this dizziness and "not feeling right" is what your body is telling you. Have it checked out.