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Bradycardia - how do I deal with it until a decision is made on how to fix it?

Posted , 6 users are following.

matth
matth

I am 26 yrs old, have always been sporty, and a few months ago I woke in the night and ended up blacking out. I went to A&E and it appeared that my heart was bradycardic with a resting heart rate of between 40 and 45 BPM (about 10 beats lower than my normal resting heart rate). To cut a long story short, I have had all the tests and monitors under the sun and nothing seems to be wrong other than the fact that my heart rate is lower than usual. My bad episodes seem to happen at night when my heart rate is dropping too low when sleeping and therefore becoming symptomatic, waking me breathless, tight chested, and in a panic. Mostly I now manage to avoid blacking out, but it is the same symptoms, I am just coping better.

I am just wondering if anyone else has experienced bradycardia, and has any tips for management until I see the cardiac consultant in a couple of weeks where it is looking like I may need a pacemaker for a long term solution?

Any help for the short term would be much appreciated.

Thanks

Matt

0 likes, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • luis17129
    luis17129 matth

    Posted

    It is also possible that bradycardia is a result/symptom of an underlying medical condition such as hypothyroidism or it can be due to your current medications (if you are taking any).

    Treatment of bradycardia varies as per its cause. If no underlying heart disease is detected, the heart's response to exercise is normal, and there are no symptoms of low cardiac output, treatment may not be required. Your doctor may choose to monitor your heart rate and rhythm periodically.

    Follow general advice for preventing the further development of heart disease that includes: Safe exercise program, stopping smoking,

    Wish you best of health.

    Luis.

    • matth
      matth luis17129

      Posted

      Hi Luis, thanks for the response.

      All blood tests have come back fine, as well as echogram, exercise test, tilt test, 24hr monitor (bradycardia detected), ECG's etc.... so there is no sign of any type of heart disease, and I am not on any medication, don't smoke, don't use drugs and am fit and healthy.

      Obviously I am hoping that the consultant will adapt further on a potential cure, but in the mean time I am constantly tired, have a tight chest every now and again throughout the day, get lightheaded ness, and have these worse episodes in the night every 3-4 days, so I am just trying to find a way of helping myself in the short term to try and best manage the situation...

      Thanks again for your response.

      Matt

  • caters
    caters matth

    Posted

    If you are an athlete that 40-50 BPM resting heart rate is normal.

    Why?

    Well as athletes get better and better their heart gets stronger and forms more cardiac muscle so that the athlete has mild to moderate hypertrophy throughout the heart which is not bad and is in fact good because:

    More O2 goes to the tissues with each heartbeat

    High blood pressure corresponding with low HR makes your high blood pressure normal and in fact this is how it is in athletes is that they have lower HR because of High BP which itself is caused by the mild to moderate hypertrophy.

    • mary79923
      mary79923 caters

      Posted

      Caters is right about the lower heart rate in athletes.  My twin sons were long distance runners in high school, and when one of them landed in hospital with Appendicitis, the nurses were alarmed about his low heart rate until I explained about his running.

      Good luck Matt.  Hope to hear that you are fit as a fiddle!

    • matth
      matth mary79923

      Posted

      Hi guys, thanks for your messages.

      I am aware of hypertrophy in athletes, and I have always had a low heart rate because of this, but it is now a problem as it is symptomatic meaning that a good night sleep is almost impossible!!

      In the day, caffeine and exercise is a good answer, but don't think this will help with my sleep :-)

      Matt

  • markracheal
    markracheal matth

    Posted

    I know how you feel my heart rate drops to 29 at night when sleeping but keep getting told nothings wrong and I am not fit.
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