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Definition
By Mayo Clinic staffBradycardia is a slower than normal heart rate. The heart usually beats between 60 and 100 times a minute in an adult at rest. If you have bradycardia (brad-e-KAHR-de-uh), your heart beats fewer than 60 times minute.
Bradycardia can be a serious problem if the heart doesn't pump enough oxygen-rich blood to the body. For some people, however, bradycardia doesn't cause symptoms or complications.
An implanted pacemaker and other treatments may correct bradycardia and help your heart maintain an appropriate rate.
References
- Arrhythmia. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/arr/arr_all.html. Accessed Feb. 12, 2011.
- Ganz LI. Sinus bradycardia. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Feb. 12, 2011.
- Vijayaraman P, et al. Bradyarrhythmias and pacemakers. In: Fuster V, et al. Hurst's The Heart. 12th ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw Hill Companies; 2008. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=3051085. Accessed Feb. 11, 2011.
- Tomaselli GF. The bradyarrhythmias. In: Fauci AS, et al. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. 17th ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw Hill Companies; 2008. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=2874424. Accessed Feb. 11, 2011.
- Bradycardia. American Heart Association. http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/Arrhythmia/TypesofArrhythmias/Bradycardia_UCM_302016_Article.jsp. Accessed Feb. 15, 2011.
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