Re: bradycardia

Posted By CCF CARDIO MD-APS on September 15, 1998 at 10:00:02:

In Reply to: bradycardia posted by mj on September 13, 1998 at 05:30:10:






My husband recently went in for a routine exam and had a heart rate of 54 beats per minute and his blood pressure was 134/87.He is a 37 year-old white male.The first thing the doctor ask him was if he had ever had a heart attack or any kind of heart trouble (he hasn't). He was then send for an ekg which said it indicated sinus bradycardia and that it could be a normal variant. He didn't get to see the doctor after the test and his next appointment is not until nearly three weeks from now. He was not given any kind of medication for this.The whole thing really upset both of us. How serious is this kind of condition? Any information you could provide would be most appreciated.



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Dear mj,
Not to worry, bradycardia simply means a heart rate less than 60 beats per minute,
is very common in athletically fit individuals, and can be the result of a medication
called beta-blockers which are used for various heart conditions.  It is very
important that a physician ask many historical questions during the initial visit
so as to get as much information as possible as well as put him/her on the right
track so to speak in trying to assess the gravity of the complaint that the patient
presented with AND to guage the likelihood that a finding such as bradycardia is
simply a normal variant (i.e. does not represent disease.)  It is probably more
important that your husband's blood pressure be checked a few more times as it is
bordering on high, but it must be actually 'high' on three separate occasions in
order to be true hypertension.  If the two of you do nothing but worry right up to the
next appointment, his pressure will likely be borderline high again just from
stress.  So long as your husband is not short of breath,dizzi, or develops new
symptoms there is no reason to worry about waiting for the next appointment.  Good Luck.
Information provided in the heart forum is intended for general medical informational
purposes only, actual diagnosis and treatment can only be made by your physician(s).