Bradycardia is based on the words ‘brady’ meaning slow and ‘-cardia’ meaning heart.
Bradycardia is a heart rate that's less than 50 beats per minute, which is slower than normal for most people. Kardia Advanced Determination “Bradycardia” indicates a mild form of bradycardia between 40 to 50 beats per minute, with no atrial fibrillation or wide QRS detected.
What Causes Bradycardia?
The normal range for heart rate depends on your age and physical condition; for example, a heart rate less than 50 beats per minute can be normal in healthy adults and in athletes, and during sleep.While bradycardia can be normal, it can also be caused by thyroid disease, sleep apnea, certain medications, or damage to the heart tissue from heart disease or from the aging process. When the heart beats too slowly, you may have no symptoms or you may experience dizziness, chest pain or pressure*, lack of energy, or shortness of breath.
What Can I Do Next?
The treatment for bradycardia depends on what is causing the slow heart rate, as well as your symptoms. Mild bradycardia with no symptoms usually requires no treatment. Bradycardia may be treated with medications, or by adjusting current medications. For severe bradycardia, a pacemaker may be recommended, which is a small device implanted under the skin that can speed up the heart rate as needed. If you have bradycardia, your doctor can give you additional instructions about how to manage it and your overall heart health.
*Kardia cannot detect signs of a heart attack. If you believe you are having a medical emergency, call emergency services.