Causes and symptoms of heart bradycardia

2024 Author: James Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 14:00

The contraction of the heart muscles is provided by a nerve impulse. If violations occur that lead to changes in the heart rhythm, arrhythmias are diagnosed. One of the varieties of this pathology is heart bradycardia. Many people have a question about what it is and how to treat it. The disease is found not only in adults, but also in children.

What is bradycardia?

In healthy people, the heart rate (HR) ranges from 60-90. It is known that bradycardia is a condition in which this indicator is less than 60. Doctors do not distinguish it as a separate disease. It is more correct to call a decrease in heart rate a sign of disorders in the work of the cardiovascular system.

A decrease in heart rate can be observed even in absolutely healthy people. For example, athletes. The same phenomenon is noted during sleep, with hypothermia.

Reasons for the appearance

Bradycardia of the heart can be caused by natural external factors and dysfunctions of internal organs. Depending on this, the condition is divided into two groups, each of which has its own reasons for the appearance.

Physiological bradycardia

It is believed that such bradycardia of the heart is a periodic rate. This condition is not life threatening. It is caused by external stimuli and factors:

• hypothermia, stay in rooms with high humidity;
• age-related changes are not considered the norm in all cases;
• stimulation of the so-called reflex zones - eyeballs, carotid arteries;
• physical labor;
• sleep at night;
• overwork of a physical or psychoemotional type.

Medical practice has confirmed that bradycardia of the heart is a physiological norm when taking certain medications. An important condition is that such a decrease in heart rate should not be accompanied by a violation of well-being. The condition does not require treatment.

Pathological bradycardia

This condition negatively affects the patient's well-being. The following reasons can provoke development:

• heart disease - ischemia, heart attack, cardiosclerosis of any type, inflammatory processes in the myocardium and others;
• taking certain medications (quinidine, beta-blockers, cardiac glycosides, calcium channel blockers, etc.), which is accompanied by a deterioration in well-being;
• poisoning with toxic substances;
• hypertonicity of the parasympathetic nervous system against the background of depression, peptic ulcer disease, traumatic brain injury;
• infectious diseases - typhoid fever, viral hepatitis, severe sepsis;
• hypothyroidism or decreased levels of triiodothyronine and thyroxine.

It is known that bradycardia, which has arisen against the background of one of the listed conditions, is an extremely dangerous condition. It can cause such pathological phenomena as a decrease in the volume of blood supplied to the brain to other organs.

Symptoms of bradycardia in adults and children

The condition can be observed in patients of different age categories. The clinical picture of each group is different.

To understand whether a child has bradycardia or a different condition is the cause of poor health, it is important to know the size of the allowable heart rate threshold:

• newborns - less than 120 strokes;
• from 1 to 7 years - less than 70 blows;
• 7-18 years old - 62 strokes or less.

Bradycardia in a child is accompanied by the following clinical picture:

• loss of consciousness;
• arterial hypertension;
• increased fatigue;
• chronic circulatory failure.

Bradycardia of the heart in old people is accompanied by the following symptoms:

• dizziness;
• weakness;
• light-headedness, fainting;
• labored breathing;
• impaired memory concentration;
• sudden changes in blood pressure;
• short-term vision problems;
• confusion of thinking;
• hypoxia.

Bradycardia of the heart that has developed in old people requires mandatory monitoring by a therapist and cardiologist.

Interesting! Arrhythmia of the heart - causes, symptoms and treatment

Types of bradycardia

Today there is no precise, unambiguous classification of the condition. But in order to understand how to treat bradycardia of the heart, it is important to know the complexes of aspects that allow you to classify the condition. We find out the types of bradycardia:

1. Sinus. The most common type of condition. It is caused by heart damage, lack of certain groups of vitamins and minerals, atherosclerosis.
2. Sinoatrial. After suffering diseases, for example, a heart attack, the surface of the heart is covered with scars. It is important to understand that this condition is dangerous. This can slow down the transmission of the signal to the ventricles.
3. Neurogenic. The main provoking factor is damage to the nervous system against the background of a tumor in the brain, mental disorders.
4. Extracardiac. It is caused by neurosis and, at the same time, increased intracranial pressure.
5. Organic. Such bradycardia of the heart is provoked by a malfunction in the sinus node. The lower the electrical impulse, the higher the likelihood that the heart rate will begin to decrease.
6. Toxic. The consequence of the weakening of the body due to the transferred diseases is hepatitis, poisoning with chemical substances, blood poisoning.
7. Medicinal. It develops while taking certain medications.
8. Idiopathic. It occurs in people of advanced age due to changes in the tissues of the heart, blood vessels.

Some types of the condition do not pose a threat to health, therefore, they do not require medication. Whereas certain types may require not only conservative, but also surgical treatment.

How to treat

Therapy of the condition is carried out exclusively in cases where the clinical manifestations are pronounced, the hemodynamic process is clearly impaired. In the initial stages, when the patient's condition has not deteriorated much, they are limited to drugs.

As a preventive and maintenance agent, tinctures offered by traditional medicine are suitable.

Drug treatment

Pharmaceutical therapy depends on several factors. For example, how to treat bradycardia in children determines the age and form of the condition. The mild form, not accompanied by arrhythmia, is corrected by the course of vitamin and mineral complexes and the organization of a balanced diet. Reconsideration of physical and mental stress may be required.

With a pronounced form of bradycardia, hospitalization will be required. In a hospital, a decision is made on how to treat the condition in children.

Most often, therapy involves:

• nutritional correction;
• elimination of chronic infectious diseases;
• taking medications that stimulate heart contraction.

In extremely severe cases, drugs can be prescribed that improve metabolism, correct electrolyte metabolism, and eliminate oxygen starvation of the brain. To reduce the risk of developing dangerous complications, only new generation drugs are used.

If the child has frequent fainting accompanied by cardiac arrest or other heart-threatening conditions, a recommendation is issued for an operation to install a pacemaker.

With regard to the treatment of adults, with a moderate type of bradycardia of the heart, antiarrhythmic medications are prescribed.

With bradycardia, there may be high blood pressure. The new generation drugs prescribed today have a number of advantages:

• prolonged action;
• affect only certain systems, and not the whole organism as a whole;
• do not have a negative effect on the psycho-emotional background even with prolonged use;
• unable to cause bronchospasm;
• reduce the pathologically increased mass of the left ventricle;
• stimulate metabolic processes associated with uric acid and lipids.

Any drugs, not only of the new generation, should be prescribed exclusively by the attending physician. Self-treatment can worsen the condition.

How to treat bradycardia with folk remedies

Today, doctors are of the opinion that therapy for any condition should be comprehensive. The same applies to heart bradycardia. Therefore, more and more often, the means offered by traditional medicine are prescribed as an addition to the main treatment.

Self-treatment of bradycardia with traditional medicine is strictly contraindicated. All actions are performed only after consultation with the attending physician.

First aid for bradycardia at home

The condition is often accompanied by a critical drop in pulse rate, which can cause the patient to faint. In this case, the further outcome largely depends on the correctness of the actions of others. Procedure:

1. The patient, who has fallen to the floor, is gently turned over onto his back. The lower limbs should be slightly raised, for convenience, you can put a roller or a low pillow under them. Call an ambulance at the same time.
2. For oxygen access, you must loosen the belt and unfasten the top button of the shirt.
3. If the patient has lost consciousness, he should be brought to his senses. You can pat your cheeks or sprinkle cool water on your face.
4. In case of deep fainting, give a sniff of a cotton swab dipped in ammonia or vinegar. It is important to remember that you should not bring it close to your nose, as this can cause bronchospasm, which will lead to sad consequences.
5. Before the arrival of the ambulance team, the patient is given prescribed medications.
6. Life prognosis, complications and consequences

It is useful to know not only what bradycardia is and how to treat it, but also what consequences this condition entails:

• due to impaired blood supply, brain dysfunction is observed, which leads to changes in behavior;
• persistent headaches accompanying dizziness, impaired attention and memory;
• trauma occurs due to loss of consciousness;
• exacerbation of chronic diseases.

In cases where the reasons that caused bradycardia cannot be completely stopped, a commission is appointed that considers the issue of granting disability.

Provided that the therapy is carried out correctly, the patient knows how to treat bradycardia at home to stop the attack, the prognosis is favorable. Patients with frequent loss of consciousness are fitted with a pacemaker, which also increases the survival rate.

Prophylaxis

To reduce the likelihood of developing bradycardia, you need to take your own health seriously. It is necessary to give up bad habits, track weight and prevent it from increasing. Proper nutrition, walks in the fresh air, regular examination with a predisposition to heart disease - guarantees the normal functioning of the organ.

You need to know how to treat existing chronic diseases at home. Ignoring this rule leads to a weakening of the body's defenses, the formation of scars on the surface of the heart.

The diagnosis is not a judgment. Lifestyle adjustments, knowledge of what it is and how to treat bradycardia at home, minimizing nervous shocks help stabilize the condition. Subject to all medical recommendations, it is possible to endure and give birth to a healthy child and continue a normal life.