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bradycardia -- what's a too-low heart rate?
I wear a Fitbit Charge HR, which has a heart monitor that is pretty accurate (within a beat or two of what hospital instruments say) except for sudden spikes up or down. My heart rate is now in the high 40s at rest, has been as low as 38 while asleep, is usually in the 50s during the daytime but can get into normal range if I'm active. I can't get anyone at my primary care or cardiologist's office to give me an idea of what's so long that I should call them! I'm betting that below 40 is a concern, but all they've said is that heart rates lower when we're asleep. Duh! I know that. What I want to know is at what point should I seek their help if that happens.
Does anybody know?
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If you faint, as I did walking, you get hurt. Bradycardia is a heart condition. I get the wozzie, dizzy and nausea every day for no reason, with my feet up watching golf, making dinner, laying down to rest or nap or for the night, doing light gardening in the yard. My low EF, PVCs and heart rate don't concern my cardiologist either. The EP ruled out ablation as I have too many spots firing in my heart with late or early beats. Each spot gets fried to stop the extra beats. I have so many firing spots that they can't be fried. So I take Enalapril ( Linsapril was developed from Enalpril) and move slowly, walk with poles or cane to catch myself and remain hopeful.
dizzypizzy, First, l wish you well and l hope you're condition improves. Can l ask you a question l have an ascending aorta at 4.3 cm. But my main issue right now is my heart rate is staying in the 50's. At night or when l'm laying down it goes lower. I wore a 48 hour holter monitor, which completed last weekend. I was told everything thing looked okay. But when l asked why my heart rate was so low they really didn't have an answer and didn't recommend any further heart test. I was basically told that if it drops under 40 to go to the hospital. I wouldn't be that concerned about my heart rate except l'm so fatigue and lightheaded l can't really do much. Don't know what to do. Anyway opinions would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you.
I have bradycardia as well. I have a pacemaker and it's been wonderful. Has a pacemaker been suggested or do the"too many spots firing" in your heart prevent that option?
Was a pacemaker suggested or does the "too many spots firing" in your heart make it not an option?
This issue with my heart rate may have been this way for sometime but l never had any symptoms like lightheadedness or fatigue. I really only started having the symptoms around February 2025. I had COVID in January 2025. I have never felt the same since having the virus. I'm certainly not a expert on this subject but l have read some interesting articles about what COVID can do to the heart, written by a doctor in England by the name of Tim Robinson who was a GP for over 30 years. He now works with people who've had COVID and are still having numerous symptoms months later. I was told that even though my heart rate was low that if it the rate increased with activity then it's was still functioning properly. Maybe l need a second opinion.
Thanks for responding.
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2 ReactionsI have bradycardia just as my father and grandfather did. My resting heart rate is around 46/47 bpm. I do not have any symptoms with my slow rate. I exercise daily and never have had any problems. I have had Afib twice in 3 years. From everything my cardiologist and 2 electrophysiologists have told me is that if a person has symptoms such as fainting, dizziness or lightheadedness due to low heart rates, that a pacemaker would most likely be recommended.
I am scheduled to get a pacemaker in two weeks to help with Afib should I have it again. I have been told by my cardiologist that my heart's conduction system will most likely get worse as I age. I will be 64 in a few days.
I would make an appointment with an electrophysiologist and get their thoughts on your problems. They will know more about the heart's electrical system. I would not wait until I fainted.
I also forgot to mention that I also have a 4.5 cm AAA.
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4 ReactionsI had fainting with bradycardia at approximately 40 bpm but I could tell by the symptoms of woosiness that it was coming on. It was relieved when i sat down.
Finally I got a pacemaker after having several passoutsand my life returned to normal. My pacer keeps me at a minimum of 60 heart beats per minute. My heart has always speeded up during exercise so my stress tests were normal. I've had the pacer for 9 years and only recently developed Afib. Next week I am going in for an ablation bc I was nauseated by the arythmia drugs and felt worse than before trying medications! The ablation has an apprx success rate of 80%.....
I have had bradycardia my whole life. It is actually my normal. Everyone is different even though there are standards for heart rate. My resting rate is 45 at night. It does go down sometimes to 39-40. I also have had afib since my 30’s. Im now 77. I finally had an ablation January 22, 2025. my doctor says you shouldn’t have any more a fib episodes however memorial day I had one I went to the ER because I thought I shouldn’t be having a fib and found out. I had a 90% blockage calcification in my artery to my heart Had angioplasty , and three stents put in. Since then, I have had five a fib episodes so now I have to find out why that is happening.
I have CAD, afib resting HR 49 that sometimes goes to 37, flutter and low blood pressure. I am on a plant based diet and was just prescribed Eliquis 2.5 due to age and one kidney. Just found out I should restrict vitamin K which is in most of the foods I consume. What to do?
I’m curious why you were told to restrict vitamin K foods. Warfarin requires steady vitamin K intake, fluctuations make it tough to keep anticoagulation stable. Eliquis is not Vitamin K dependent, you can eat greens to your hearts content.