What are the symptoms of bradycardia?

Written by Tang Li
Cardiology
Updated on September 14, 2024
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The normal heart rate for an adult is between 60-140 beats per minute. If it falls below 60 beats per minute, it is generally referred to as bradycardia. Most patients with bradycardia may not have symptoms, but those who do should be closely monitored. The symptoms of bradycardia mainly arise from a reduced cardiac output, leading to insufficient blood supply to the heart and brain, thereby causing symptoms. Patients may experience dizziness, fatigue, poor mental performance, and other symptoms. Some patients may experience dizziness, transient blackouts before the eyes, fatigue, palpitations, chest tightness, and shortness of breath. In severe cases, patients may also experience fainting.

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Emergency Department
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Can digitalis poisoning cause bradycardia?

Digitalis toxicity can cause bradycardia. Digitalis is an inhibitor of the sodium-potassium ATPase, which affects the transfer of sodium and potassium in cells, leading to electrolyte disturbances and arrhythmias. Common arrhythmias include premature beats, bradycardia, and conduction blocks, and severe cases may experience sudden cardiac arrest. Therefore, in patients with heart failure, it is important to closely monitor the blood concentration of digitalis during long-term use, and adjust the dosage of digoxin and digitalis based on its concentration to avoid toxicity. Once toxicity occurs, the first step is to stop the medication and then take appropriate symptomatic treatment to prevent accidents.

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Cardiology
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What are the dangers of bradycardia?

If the bradycardia is physiological, it generally does not harm the body and does not require special treatment. If the bradycardia is pathological, when the heartbeat significantly slows down, it can cause a decrease in cardiac output due to the slow heart rate, leading to symptoms of insufficient cardiac output, insufficient blood supply to the brain which can cause dizziness, visual disturbance, fainting, and other symptoms. Insufficient coronary artery supply can induce angina, and insufficient perfusion of the kidneys can lead to reduced urine output and kidney damage. Therefore, if a patient with bradycardia has a slow heart rate that leads to obvious symptoms, it is necessary to install a pacemaker for pacing treatment to increase the heart rate.

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Written by Chen Tian Hua
Cardiology
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Causes and Hazards of Bradycardia

The main causes of bradycardia include the following: 1. Physiological bradycardia, which occurs in normal individuals such as athletes and some elderly people, mainly due to increased vagal tone; 2. Cardiac diseases, such as sick sinus syndrome, severe atrioventricular block, myocarditis, and acute inferior myocardial infarction; 3. Other diseases, such as hypothyroidism and hyperkalemia. Physiological bradycardia generally poses no harm and does not require intervention. Pathological bradycardia, when the heart rate significantly slows down, can lead to a decrease in cardiac output, causing insufficient blood supply to the brain, resulting in symptoms such as dizziness, visual obscurity, and fainting. It can also cause coronary artery supply insufficiency leading to angina, as well as symptoms of fatigue and reduced exercise tolerance, requiring timely treatment.

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Written by Chen Tian Hua
Cardiology
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How to treat bradycardia

People with bradycardia should maintain good habits in daily life, eat a light diet, exercise reasonably, avoid overwork and staying up late, refrain from smoking and drinking, and keep a relaxed mood. Medications such as Xinbao Pills can be taken to increase the heart rate. Additionally, consuming traditional Chinese medicines like ginseng can also help in increasing the heart rate. For severe bradycardia that causes repeated symptoms like dizziness, visual obscurity, or fainting, and even episodes of Adams-Stokes syndrome, such as sick sinus syndrome or third-degree atrioventricular block, it is crucial to promptly visit a hospital. Active pacing treatment should be administered to increase the patient's heart rate, in order to prevent sudden cardiac arrest and avoid sudden cardiac death.

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What is bradycardia?

Bradycardia generally refers to a heart rate of less than 60 beats per minute, often seen in healthy young people, athletes, and during sleep. Other possible causes include hypothyroidism, obstructive jaundice, as well as severe hypoxia and hypothermia. If the patient's bradycardia does not cause other pathological conditions, such as dizziness or fainting, it generally does not require treatment. If severe dizziness and fainting occur, indicating insufficient cardiac output, medications that increase the heart rate, such as atropine or aminophylline, can be used. (These medications should be taken under the guidance of a doctor.)