Is this really bradycardia?

[line]

I have been reading a lot about bradycardia and it has me wondering if I have this.

My pulse rate when siting is always in the 50's, laying down it goes into the high 40's. When I go to my dr. it is normal. I have this for years but no symtons.

I am a 65 year old female and have mitral regurgatation without prolaspe and get a echo done yearly. I have had ekg's done many times  and never a mention of a bradycardia. My echo report always say sinus rhytmn and nothing more about the rhytmn.

Thank you, Line

[Cleveland Clinic]

line,

thanks for the post.

We classify bradycardia as heart rates under 60. This is a descriptive term, not a pathologic (abnormal) term for this phenomenon. Unless the slow heart rate leads to symptoms or comes form an abnormal heart rhythm it has little meaning other than to describe the slow heart rate.

good luck

[line]

I forgot to ask, with bradycardia is you pulse rate low all the time even when walking etc?

Line

[nosa47]

Based on what you mentioned, you should have nothing to worry about.  The most important fact is that you have had this for years with no symptoms, your rhythm is normal and your doctors don't think it is an issue.  If anything you should be thankful that your heart is not beating at an excessive rate.  From all what I have read about this, it seems that they all agree that the lower your the better as long as you are not having any symptoms and it is not excessively low.  According to one source about this they define it as:  "Bradycardia is a general term that describes a number of conditions in which the heart beats at an unusually slow rate (fewer than 50 to 60 beats per minute)."   Since yours is in the 50's and 60's, you should be fine.  The rate should increase with the increase in activity.  

[CollegeGirl143]

Usually physicians dont worry too much about this unless you are symptomatic (dizziness and such) Does your heart rate increase with physicial activity?

[line]

Thanks to both of you for the replied, you put my mind at ease. I just got home,walked from the car in the house, our garage is attached to the house. I st down immediately and took my b/p, it was 112/ 66 amd pulse was 68.
  
Muy husband always says he does not know what I would do if I did not worry about something, I guess he is right.

Thanks again, Line

[Slappy3243]

I don't know if this well help at all since I am much younger (24 years old) but when I used to work out a lot, my resting heart rate was low. Sometimes it would dip as low as 38 bpm. I saw a cardiologist because I was having PVC issues and he said that my heart rate was normal for my bodies conditioning.

[sunny in beantown]

A general question based on what was mentioned above. Someone mentinoed the heartrate should increase with activity, what if it doesnt? I'm speaking about someone I suspect has heart disease, I've noticed his heartrate is much lower than it ever was, (50's) and doesnt really jump up much during strenuous activity. Not a conditioned heart, btw. He does get lightheaded a bit easily, esp when standing up after sitting for awhile.

So, could bradycardia eventually prevent the heart from reacting normally to increased exertion?

[CollegeGirl143]

the dizziness when standing up is usually a drop in blood pressure, and can be caused by a number of things, including dehydration, and a large amount of patients experience this from time to time.. If your friends heart is beating so slow that he is dizzy when just sitting, or if he is working out and he gets dizzy because the rate doesnt increase, ide consider getting an echo and EKG.. its a good thing to do anyways though, reguardless.

[kitcurious]

Quick question about exercise since the subject has come up. Exercise-induced palpitations that come from the movement of large muscles (like those of the legs, doing leg lifts for instance) are not the same as exercise-induced palps from just general exertion are they? I have been ignoring this, but since I have a check-up scheduled next week and it just happened again, I don't know whether to mention it to the doc or whether it's nothing.
I am inclined to believe it's nothing and that the position itself is the instigator and not the exertion itself.

[CollegeGirl143]

change in position commonly can induce palps.. I myself had svt induce frequently when i bent over.. It has to do with the change in blood pressure and blood volume.. Palps that happen with just normal exertion are usually because the person experiencing them is more likely to start throwing palps with a higher heart rate.. Ide venture to say its probably nothing but if it bothers you ide mention it to your doc

[kitcurious]

Thanks!! :-)

[svCAV]

Hey Kit, I'm 26 years old male, I work-out 5 days a week, weightlifting and cardio.  I noticed that during my cardio work-out I usually do not feel my palpitations, once I finish and start weightlifting I feel them more.  Usually after I finish my work out I don't feel them at all (Though on some days when I'm having an episode they just maintain their cycle, no change, just constant.  After exercise they may be reduced slightly).

I'm not really sure if it has so much to do with our positioning or if it's the way we are breathing that is aggitating our ventricles.  Not to mention, if you're listening or feeling for your palpitations it is likely that you have unconciously slowed your breathing down, and actually induced more palpitations.  I've notice myself doing that also, for the longest time I wasn't even paying attention to that.

As far as resting heart rates go, mine can range from the low 50's - around 61 or so and my doctor expressed concern for that before she knew I worked out consistently.  During the summer I used to run 3 miles in the evening around a speed of a mile every 6 - 7 minutes, so I think my heart rate definitely got kicked down from that.

I still worry that I'll have sudden cardiac death though, but I force myself to work-out since I feel like I'm just being paranoid.  I've never fainted, or had any other symptoms aside from my palpitations, so I probably should just be glad of that. I go for an echocardiogram on Tuesday, I'll try and post my results here when I get a chance.

[kitcurious]

Thanks for the response. I also work out 5 days a week, but nothing as challenging as running. I do aerobics, yoga and pilates workouts with some (light) weights.
Just the opposite of you, my resting heart rate tends to be a little high. Around 90-100 sitting and it goes up when I am standing, usually between 120-140. The 90 always made me feel better but I recently read somewhere that the range for tachycardia was lowered to 90 LOL I never noticed the fast rate until it was pointed out at the doctor's. I work for a museum and frequently stand for long periods of time. I get light-headed and sometimes my mind blanks out, but, like you I haven't fainted either.

You are right about the breathing affecting the ectopics. I had a stress test two summers ago and the rhythm remained normal, but the heart rate would not go down below 135 or so during the recovery period, so they told me to breathe more deeply and when I did the monitor went kablooey and they doctor and nurse said "Whoa" LOL.  

I'm not afraid of dying, though I used to hope I wouldn't keel over and faint in front of my peers and embarass myself LOL

There's really nothing else I can figure to do when I feel a quivering beat than to just continue working out. Nothing bad ever happens.

Haven't had the Holter for ectopics, but my past ekg's show tachycardia and otherwise normal.

[kitcurious]

It will be interesting to see your echo results. Thank you for sharing. :-)