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Bradycardia – Symptoms and Causes

Overview

Bradycardia is a medical term that means low heart rate when the heart is slower than usual. On a regular, the nature of an adult when at rest usually beats between 60 to 100 times a minute. It is essential to know this as it tells you that when your heart beats less than 60 times in a minute, it could mean that you have bradycardia. Bradycardia can be a severe problem, and this is because when the heart is beating, it is pumping oxygen-rich blood to the body. In the case of bradycardia, where the heart isn’t beating at its regular rate would mean that it won’t be pumping enough oxygen-rich blood to the body.

Bradycardia can be completely normal at times and, in other cases, could also mean an abnormal heart rhythm. It would amuse you to know that, in some cases, a slow heart rate could also mean an extremely healthy heart. For example, in an athlete with a strong core that doesn’t have to work as hard to pump blood throughout the body, their resting heart rate could be slower than the average heart rate of 60 to 100 times in a minute.

However, slow heart rate should not be overlooked, especially when it is not common in the individual or other symptoms. It could mean that you have an issue with the electrical system in your heart and imply something more serious. You should see a doctor immediately.