Low Heart Rate in General

[Carol]

Dear Doc,
I am a 30 year old female who posted a question earlier this week about my PVC"s. I went to a cardiologist yesterday and my heart rate was no faster than 50 and as low as 44. A nurse there said I have the heart rate of someone who works out real hard. I dont work out although I am pretty active. My echo turned out fine except for a little puffiness of my atrium which he says could be because I am 7 weeks post partum and the extra volume may have caused it. So my question is what else besides working out hard could cause your heart rate to be so slow? Also any ideas about the atrium puffiness? Thanks!

[scotth71]

hi..doc i am a 40 year old male and about 20 pounds overweight but seriously in pretty good shape other than drinking to much beer. been on work comp and coming off my 3rd surgery. anyway... i was feeling crappy today from to many beers the day prior so i checked my blood presure at our local grocer. i believe it was 129-89 however my heart rate was 61 and i had been following my wife around the store for 20 min. any concerns. i have never had any health issues. thanks

[CCF CARDIO MD - DLB]

You are most welcome.

[Tony Whetton]

To ccf cardio md from Tony Whetton.  Thank you very much for your swift reply to my question about 61 BPM, and a very good(excellent Forum).  ***@****

[CCF CARDIO MD - DLB]

A heart rate in the 30s while asleep, presumably causing no symptoms, is not a problem, nor is is that unusual. Neither the heart rate or the atrium is likely to lead to any problem. If your heart rate were too slow, you would likely feel dizzy, as though you were about to pass out.

[CCF CARDIO MD - DLB]

Tony,
A resting heart rate of 61 is normal, not a bradycardia.

Carol,
If the puffiness was in fact caused by pregnancy (you do not know for sure - it could have been there before pregnancy), I would expect it to resolve after several months. Regardless, I do not think it will cause you any problems.

Robert,
A resting heart rate of 33 is low. Potentially, if your symptoms are caused by a low heart rate, a pacemaker will help greatly. Low heart rates can cause fatigue, though this is usually a problem in the elderly.

[Carol]

Hi Doc,
I too had a heart rate of 33 on my Holtor show up during my sleeping hours. I have the heart rate of someone who works out vigorously! 60-44bpm. I am pretty active but not a work out person. Is my low heart rate and puffy atrium combined likely to cause me a life threatening situation combining the two? Thanks again,
Carol

[Robert sk]

Hello, I am a 46 year male, for most of my life I have had a low heart rate 48>52 sometimes 60. I do work out for 1h/day every other day.
       For the last few years on and off I been tired. Especially the past 4 mo.,I have been tired. On one evening I was so tired I laid down at 10:00 pm till 11:00 pm when I awoke I felt so terrible that I did not want to go back to sleep because of how I felt. The next day I saw a Doctor he put me on a E.K.G. my resting heart rate was at 33b/m, I believe the previous night my heart was even lower. That's why I felt so bad. The Doctor had checked my thyriod and it's ok. The doctor also put on a holter monitor for 24 hours. I still feel tired and have a funny feeling in my chest I am really concerned. I feel like this could be serious but no one is taking it seriously. What suggestions do you have.  Should I go to the hospital and demand someone check further or should I wait for the results of the test.  Thank you

[Carol]

Hello again. Doctor, if this was caused by my pregnancy and I am now 7 weeks POST-Partum
(by cesarean) can it stay puffy permanently? And when is it likely the puffiness of my atrium could go down? (the cardio said that it was the top part of my heart on my atrium)
Thank you. Carol

[Tony Whetton]

I am writing this in England (UK), and it is 12 midnight.  The question i want answered, is that my heart rate is a resting 61 BPM could this fall into the bradycardia catagory? I feel ok when resting though I must point out thank you posted by: ***@**** (2.12.99)

[CCF CARDIO MD - DLB]

Young, healthy people often have low resting heart rates, especially those who exercise, but even those who do not may still have a lowish heart rate. Sometimes an underactive thyroid can cause a low heart rate, but usually with other symptoms; pregnancy can cause thyroid problems though. By a little puffiness, I am assuming that you mean that the left atrium was slightly enlarged. In and of itself, this is not a problem and may be due to the volume shifts of pregnancy.