Bradycardia can be described as a slow or irregular heart rhythm, generally less than 60 beats per minute. Some risk factors for bradycardia, such as age and congenital heart problems, cannot be controlled. The most effective way to prevent bradycardia is to reduce the risk of developing the heart condition.
What Causes Bradycardia?
Bradycardia means a low heart rate. The usual heart rate of an individual sitting still is 60-100 per minute. To talk about a bradycardia problem, the pulse rate must be less than 60.
To clearly understand the problems that bradycardia can cause, it is important to understand how the heart beats. The human heart has four chambers, two at the top and two at the bottom. In the upper right chamber is a structure called the sinus node. The function of the sinus node is to generate the signal for the heart to beat. When the sinus node gives the signal that triggers the heart, the heart muscles contract once and then the heart beats. This cycle repeats continuously. The sinus node can also be described as the heart's pacemaker.
Bradycardia does not cause any problems or complaints. However, a low pulse rate may be caused by a problem with the electrical system in the heart, and a doctor may need to be consulted. For this reason, if the heart does not send blood containing excess oxygen to the body, it can cause some problems.
How to treat bradycardia?
Bradycardia treatment depends on the health problem that causes this condition. For example, if there is a health problem related to low thyroid, the bradycardia problem may end with the treatment of this condition. If there is a problem due to the medication used, the level of the drug causing bradycardia may need to be reduced.
Pacemaker Use in Bradycardia Treatment
If the problem of bradycardia persists despite these measures and there is a concern that it may cause significant harm to health, a pacemaker may be considered. During pacemaker implantation, a small incision is made on the left side of the patient's chest. A pacemaker is inserted under the skin and the pacemaker wires are placed in the heart. When there is an electrical problem in the heart, the pacemaker is activated, causing the heart to contract and the heart rhythm to improve.
How is bradycardia diagnosed?
Bradycardia can be difficult to diagnose in some cases. This is because the pulse of the individual is not low at all times. Using the ECG method, the specialist measures the electrical condition that occurs during the beating of the heart. If there are no signs of bradycardia during the measurement, but there are signs of bradycardia, then a Holter ECG device is inserted to examine the heart for 1 day. This device measures the electrical activity of the heart for 1 day. If the Holter ECG records match the symptoms, bradycardia is diagnosed.
What are the Risk Factors for Bradycardia?
Bradycardia is defined as a condition in which the heart rate is slow. The heart of an adult at rest generally beats 60 to 100 times per minute. It is characterized as a heart rate of less than 60 beats per minute. The problems that cause this condition are as follows;
- Problems with the sinoatrial node, the heart's usual pacemaker
- Problems in the conduction pathway of the heart that do not allow electrical impulses to travel in a healthy way
- Metabolic problems
- Some heart medications that can cause bradycardia
- Damage to transmission pathways due to aging
- Some congenital heart diseases
- Inflammations of the heart muscle
- Complications that can occur after heart surgery
- Imbalance of electrolytes developing in the blood
- Repeated respiratory arrests during sleep
- Rheumatic fevers
- Tranquilizers, medicines for heart rhythm problems, hypertension medicines and some medicines used in psychiatric treatment