Studies have consistently shown that a lower resting heart rate, at least down to 40 bpm, is associated with a longer life span, both in comparisons between individuals and between species. For every 20 additional beats per minute of resting heart rate, mortality increases by 30–50 percent.
Prognosis is good when the rhythm is promptly identified by a healthcare provider. However, patients with sick sinus syndrome who have bradycardia tend to have a poor prognosis with 5-year survival rates between 45 to 70%.
A slow heart rate isn't always a concern. For example, a resting heart rate between 40 and 60 beats a minute is quite common during sleep and in some people, particularly healthy young adults and trained athletes.
A “normal” RHR falls between 60 and 100 beats per minute. An RHR under 60 can indicate that you're more physically fit and may be associated with better heart function. An RHR that is above 100 beats per minute can reflect exposure to stress, excessive caffeine consumption or an illness.
Slow Isn't Always Bad
In contrast, a normal resting heart rate will fall in a range between 60 – 100 bpm. A slow heartbeat isn't always a concern, though. A resting heart rate between 40 and 60 beats a minute during sleep is common for many people during sleep.
A normal adult resting heart rate is between 60 – 100 beats per minute (bpm). If you have bradycardia, your heart beats fewer than 60 times a minute. Bradycardia (heart rate 40 – 60 bpm) can be normal when you're sleeping.
During sleep, it is normal for a person's heart rate to slow down below the range for a typical resting heart rate. Between 40 to 50 beats per minute (bpm) is considered an average sleeping heart rate for adults, though this can vary depending on multiple factors.
Summary: Bradycardia -- a slower than normal heartbeat -- does not increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, according to a study. The heart usually beats between 60 and 100 times a minute in an adult at rest.
If you do not have other heart problems, you likely do not have limits on the type or level of activity that you can do. You may want to walk, swim, bike, or do other activities. Ask your doctor what level of exercise is safe for you.
A normal heart rate for seniors is between 60 and 100 beats per minute.
Metabolic problems such as hypothyroidism (low thyroid hormone) Damage to the heart from aging, heart disease or heart attack. Certain heart medications that can cause bradycardia as a side effect. Congenital heart defects (present at birth)
A specific type of bradycardia called junctional bradycardia, in which the heart rate is below 40 beats per minute, may be associated with ischemic stroke, a type of stroke in which a blood vessel to the brain is obstructed or blocked.
Another cause of bradycardia is an atrioventricular block (AV block), in which the top and bottom chambers don't communicate well and your heart rate drops as a result. “It's like having virtual electrical cables and wires inside the heart,” Dr. Baez-Escudero says. “These deteriorate as we age.
When bradycardia is more severe, you may experience shortness of breath, chest pain, and fainting. If severe bradycardia goes untreated, it could lead to cardiac arrest, meaning the heart stops beating, and that can lead to death.
Eat a heart-healthy diet that includes vegetables, fruits, nuts, beans, lean meat, fish, and whole grains. Limit alcohol, sodium, and sugar.
Low dose caffeine reduced significantly the frequency of bradycardia (less than 0.01), but not the frequency of hypoxaemia.
What many may not realize is that anxiety can cause the heartbeat to slow down as well. It's not that common, but it is possible, and in some cases the issue may not be a slow heartbeat at all but your own mind telling you that your heart rate is abnormal even when this isn't necessarily the case.
Adults and children who have a low pulse and experience symptoms such as chest pain, fainting, or exercise intolerance should also go to the hospital. A person should contact a doctor about bradycardia when they: experience an unexplained change in heart rate that lasts for several days.
The main symptom of bradycardia is a heart rate below 60 beats per minute. This abnormally low heart rate can cause the brain and other organs to become oxygen-deprived, which can lead to symptoms such as: Fainting. Dizziness.
The normal range is between 50 and 100 beats per minute. If your resting heart rate is above 100, it's called tachycardia; below 60, and it's called bradycardia. Increasingly, experts pin an ideal resting heart rate at between 50 to 70 beats per minute.
Clinically significant bradycardia can be induced by beta-blockers and non-dihydropyridine (DHP) calcium-channel antagonists such as verapamil and diltiazem. Although drug-related bradycardia is frequently observed in clinical practice, it is a poorly defined clinical problem.
The study compared generated electrocardiogram readings against readings from the PurePulse heart rate sensors in Fitbit's Charge HR and Surge trackers, and found that they can be off by up to 20 beats per minute during rigorous exercise.
Generally, the fitter the individual, the lower the resting heart rate. The average resting heart rate of adult humans, ages 18 to 25, is about 70 bpm. Olympic athletes usually have lower resting heart rates, some under 50 bpm.