Smoking, high cholesterol, using illegal drugs, high blood pressure, heavy alcohol use and psychological stress or anxiety can all contribute to these conditions. Damage age from heart disease will increase your risk of developing low pulse rate. Low pulse rate and the associated complications are significantly more likely in older adults.
The severity of this block will vary based on whether or not both branches are affected and if another block is present. Bundle branch blocks interrupt the electrical signals in the left or right bundle branches. This may cause unreliable signals and slow heartbeat. A third degree block causes all impulses from the atria to fail to meet the ventricles, causing the bundle of His or other tissues to act as a separate pacemaker within the heart. Second degree blocks prevent all signals from reaching the ventricles, causing some beats to be dropped or causing an irregular heart rhythm. A first degree block refers to a block between the atria and ventricles, which rarely causes symptoms and often does not require treatment. If something is blocking signals throughout any portion of the electrical pathway throughout the heart it can damage your body’s ability to maintain a normal pulse rate. If the signals from the sinus node pause, fail to discharge at a regular rate, discharge slower than normal or are blocked before they can make contact with the atria it can cause the pulse rate to alternate between fast and slow rhythms. If the signals that control these impulses are disrupted it may lead to a low pulse rate. The left ventricle will pump oxygen to the body and the right ventricle will pump blood into the lungs to receive more oxygen. Then the impulses reach the atrioventricular node where a signal is transmitted to a cell bundle known as the bundle of His, transmitting a signal down to branches to the left and right ventricles, causing them to contract and pump. These pulses cross the atria which will cause the atria to start pumping blood in the ventricles. The sinus node acts as a natural pacemaker that controls the rhythm of the heart with electrical impulses.
Potential complications include heart failure, frequent fainting spells, sudden cardiac arrest or sudden death. The severity of complications from bradycardia will vary based on how low the pulse rate of the body is and what is causing the conduction problem in the body. When the organs and brain are not getting the oxygen content they need from the blood it can cause weakness, near-fainting, fainting, fatigue, dizziness, chest pains, shortness of breath, tiring easily during physical activity, memory problems and confusion. Symptoms and Complications of Low Pulse Rate There are several treatments including the implantation of a pace maker that can help to correct this condition if necessary. In most cases bradycardia does not cause complications or symptoms, but this can be a serious condition because a low pulse rate means the heart is not pumping an adequate supply of oxygen rich blood to the rest of the body. Bradycardia refers to a heart rate that is below 60 beats per minute.
Your heart will typically beat between 60-100 times each minute when you are at rest.