Most adults have a resting heart rate of sixty to one hundred beats per minute. When the heart rate stays below sixty beats per minute, it’s considered slow, or “bradycardia.” (“Tachycardia” is when the heart rate is too fast.) This is an electrical problem in the heart. The heart’s “natural pacemaker,” the sinus node, isn’t sending the electrical jolt that causes the heart to contract and pump at the needed pace.
In active adults, a slower heart rate is usually a sign of fitness. But for older adults, it’s often a sign of a misfiring heart. If your loved one’s heart isn’t beating fast enough, their brain and other organs aren’t getting adequate blood flow and oxygen.
Bradycardia is common in people over age seventy. The risk factors include high blood pressure, prior heart attack, infection, smoking, drug or alcohol use, and stress. Also, sleep apnea, inflammatory disease, and thyroid imbalance. Your relative might not have any symptoms. Or they might feel dizzy, tired, weak, confused, or lightheaded. In the extreme, they might faint or have chest pain and shortness of breath.
If you see symptoms. If you’re observing changes, have your loved one see their doctor. Bradycardia is not an emergency unless the symptoms are severe. But it’s important to have the doctor assess your loved one’s health and rule out other conditions. Tests such as an EKG or an echocardiogram may be ordered to evaluate the heart’s structure and function. To track heart rate, your relative may be asked to wear a portable heart monitor for a few days or weeks.
Treatment is guided by bradycardia severity and its underlying cause. In some cases, a medication change may bring improvement. The most common treatment, however, is having a battery-powered pacemaker implanted in the upper chest to maintain a steady heartbeat.
It is an emergency if your loved one faints, has chest pain, or is short of breath. Don’t hesitate: call 911!