I'm a 26, 4 years ago Family doc said I had a low pulse, but was not worried. Since then I've have seen an EP and due to my anxiety issues have had numerous tests(Holter, Echo, event monitor). All came back conferming sinus brady, anywhere from 30's-40's. I'm a runner, 25 miles a week, but my doc says I have sick sinus. I recently requested an event monitor after a panic attack, and based on a strip showing a rate of 25 my doc now wants to put a pacemaker(previous low was 30). My echo is normal, and monitor strips just show sinus brady, pac's, dropped beats, pauses, and skips. Also I have never passed out. I have noticed by wearing my polar heart monitor that there are times when my watch shows 27, 28, 29. Might hangout there for awhile, but I usually stand up and it goes up. Sometimes it can hangout in low 30's for awhile(15-30 minutes, but mostly my resting pulse is 35-44). Symptons for me are tough, since anxiet and heart symptons are similar.
1. How concerning is this. I mean how long can my rate stay that way before I pass out or lose consciousnes and die.
2. Would venture to guess that if I never worked out my resting heart rate would still be low, but proably stay in 50's or 60's.
3. How possible that I just have high vagal tone, and my conditioning just exaserbates the low pulse.
4. Does this sound like a life threatning heart problem. Who is to say that my heart rate won't stay at 25 or drop even lower, or worse stop completely.
5. Do you think I really need a pacemaker, if not, what is the likely hood I will need one in the future.
Thanks.