Posted By CCF CARDIO MD - DLB on July 08, 1998 at 18:04:22:
In Reply to: low
pulseNeck pulse
Pulse
Pulse - bounding
Pulse - weak or absent
Radial pulse
Takayasu arteritis
Taking your carotid pulse rate posted by Phil on July 08, 1998 at 15:21:41:
What can some of the cause for a low
pulseNeck pulse
Pulse
Pulse - bounding
Pulse - weak or absent
Radial pulse
Takayasu arteritis
Taking your carotid pulse rate 45 to 50. They did a
ekgAtrioventricular block, ekg tracing
Ecg
Exercise stress test and it came back
normalNormal saline flush and they did some blood work, but this has not come back yet.
Phil
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Phil:
If the
EKGAtrioventricular block, ekg tracing
Ecg
Exercise stress test was
normalNormal saline flush, you have a sinus bradycardia. This is the fancy way of saying that your heart rhythm is normal, but the rate is slow. I suspect the blood work included thyroid tests to see if you have an underactive thyroid. Various medications can also cause this as a side effect.
In young, healthy people it is not uncommon to have a sinus bradycardia. Athletes also tend to run a slower heart rate.
Sometimes a sinus bradycardia is due to aging of the heart's electrical conduction system. If the sinus bradycardia is causing symptoms (such as lightheadedness, fainting, fatigue), then it needs to be treated with placement of a pacemaker.
I hope this answers your question.
If you wish to be evaluated here at the Cleveland Clinic, please call 1-800-CCF-CARE for an appointment with a cardiologist at desk F15. Information provided in the Heart Forum is for general purposes only. Specific diagnoses and therapies can only be provided by your doctor.