What does a slow heartbeat mean

In certain situations, a slow heart rate could indicate a medical emergency. The following symptoms can be serious:. If you have any of these symptoms and a change in your heart rate, call or seek emergency medical attention immediately.

A thorough medical evaluation is necessary to determine the cause of a slow heart rate. Treatment depends on the underlying condition. If slow heart rate is due to the effect of medication or toxic exposure, this must be treated medically. An external device pacemaker implanted into the chest to stimulate heartbeats is the preferred treatment for certain types of bradycardia.

Because a low heart rate could indicate medical problems, make an appointment with your doctor if you notice any changes in your heart rate, especially if the changes are accompanied by other symptoms. Heart rates vary from person to person, influenced by a variety of variables.

But how do you know if your heart rate is in the dangerous category? The average resting heart rate is usually between 60 and 80 beats per minute, but some athletes have resting heart rates considerably lower. An irregular heartbeat arrhythmia is a change in the heart's beating pattern. There are many different types with different causes and effects. What is sinus rhythm? Learn how it differs from heart rate and what different rhythms could mean.

You may be able to stop heart palpitations with a few simple lifestyle changes. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services.

A slow heart rate or a low heart rate is known as bradycardia , and occurs frequently in older adults. Baez-Escudero shares when to worry about low heart rate — and the signs and symptoms to watch for. Doctors consider a low heart rate to be 60 beats per minute bpm and below. In contrast, a normal range is 60 to bpm while awake. For most young people, highly trained athletes, and people who work out regularly, a low heart rate while exercising — defined as below 60 bpm — is normal and healthy.

The same goes for your nightly snooze. It controls how quickly the top and bottom heart chambers pump blood through the body.

Baez-Escudero says. Common medications used in older populations can also often make bradycardia more significant. Age is the most common risk factor for developing bradycardia.

The condition is most common among men and women over age Congenital heart defects, diabetes or long-standing high blood pressure all may make bradycardia more likely, says Dr. Some common bradycardia symptoms include :. When a serious medical condition causes bradycardia, and a person does not seek treatment, more severe symptoms may appear. A person can find out their heart rate by taking their pulse. To accurately test for a slow heart rate, a person must measure their resting heart rate.

To achieve this, they must avoid checking the pulse shortly after exercising or waking up. To check the pulse , a person should sit in a comfortable and relaxed position and feel for the pulse at the wrist.

If unable to locate the pulse at the wrist, they should try feeling for the pulse on the side of their neck. To work out their heart rate, the person counts heartbeats for 10 seconds, then multiplies the number by six. For a more accurate pulse, the person can count the number of beats for a full minute.

This figure is the resting pulse. Children and young people have more rapid heart rates than adults. In young people, normal heart rates are as follows:.

People who engage in intense cardiovascular activity may have a slow heart rate, as their hearts are efficient. Although it is vital that anyone with a slow heart rate seeks medical guidance, not everyone will require treatment. When bradycardia causes no other symptoms, and when a person does not have an underlying condition, a slow heart rate may be a harmless or minor issue.

The heart rate tends to decline with age, which means older people may experience episodes of bradycardia. While this is typical, it still warrants investigation by a doctor.

Exercise strengthens the heart. Athletes, especially those who engage in intense cardiovascular activity, tend to have more efficient hearts. This may slow their pulse because their heart does not have to pump as hard or as fast to supply blood to the rest of their body. These include the following :. A condition that doctors call sick sinus syndrome refers to problems with the natural pacemaker.

Typically, another heart health problem, such as scar tissue in the heart, complications of diabetes , or coronary artery disease , causes these problems. The heart communicates by sending electrical signals. For example, one chamber of the heart sends electrical signals to another, telling it how and when to squeeze blood into the next chamber.

The pacemaker helps regulate this electrical system. If the heart is not able to send the correct electrical signals, due to a blockage or heart disease , it can cause bradycardia. Complete heart block is a type of electrical issue that makes it impossible for electrical signals to travel from the atria — the top two chambers of the heart — to the ventricles, which are the bottom two chambers.

In complete heart block , the top two chambers may have totally different rhythms to the bottom two.