Sinus Bradycardia - Slow Heart RateSinus bradycardia is the medical term used for a lower heart rate. The rhythm looks like sinus rhythm (normal heart rate) except the resting heart rate is below 60 bpm (beats per minute). Some people like athletes have their heart rate below normal which is OK for them because the heart is supplying enough oxygen to all parts of their bodies efficiently. The rhythm below looks very nice but you can see there is more space between the QRS intervals when compared with sinus tachycardia.  Sinus Bradycardia For people who are taking medications that slow the heart rate, it is recommended they check their pulse before they take it. A lot of physicians recommend not to take your medication if the heart rate is below 60 bpm but you need to check with him because the parameters may vary from Doctor to Doctor. Here are some of the conditions that slow the heart rate: Symptoms that may be experienced with a slow heart rate is dizziness, shortness of breath, fainting, fatigue, trouble concentrating, palpitations, and sometimes chest pain. If you experience these symptoms you need to call your Doctor immediately and if any of those symptoms is severe you need to call 911. It is important you learn to check your pulse if you don't know how because you will be able to tell if the low heart rate is causing those symptoms. Immediate treatment is needed with a symptomatic low heart rate. We are not going into any treatment details here because this is a complex area and I rather have you look it up on medical websites that specialize in cardiology if that's your desire. Just so you know, in the medical setting the drug of choice is atropine IV push and if the heart rate continues to be low, the patient may end up with a pacemaker. Return from sinus bradycardia to heart rhthms
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