Pulse below 50 at normal pressure. Causes of a low heart rate

The pulse shows how rhythmically the heart muscle contracts. Normally, the indicators in an adult are 65–85 beats / min. Any deviations are a sign of a violation of the work of the heart under the influence of negative external and internal factors. Often there is a sharp slowdown in heart rate - a rare pulse, and the causes of such a pathology can be very dangerous.

Causes of bradycardia

Important! Rare pulse (bradycardia) - a decrease in performance in an adult below 60 units. Pathology does not depend on blood pressure, but is more common in hypotensive patients.

A rare pulse does not always indicate the presence of pathologies. Indicators may decrease with changing weather conditions, prolonged exposure to a cool room or cold water. Often this phenomenon is hereditary, occurs with overwork, lack of physical activity, always accompanies the aging of the body.

Why does the pulse become rare:

• physiological reasons - a decrease in performance is observed at rest, during sleep, a low pulse always occurs in the morning;
• pathological bradycardia - develops against the background of changes in the conduction functions of the heart;
• organic myocardial damage - post-infarction state, ischemia;
• endocrine disruptions, disorders in the thyroid gland;
• tumors of various origins in the brain, high intracranial pressure;
• infectious diseases, severe types of intoxication;
• neurosis, stress, physical and mental overwork.

Often a rare pulse is a consequence of long-term drug therapy. The heart rate slows down with VVD, heart attack, electrolyte imbalance.

With absolute bradycardia, heart rate indicators do not depend on any factors - a rare pulse in a person is constant. Relative bradycardia occurs in professional athletes, develops against the background of typhus, meningitis, feverish conditions.

How is the pulse related to pressure indicators

Bradycardia is diagnosed in hypertensive patients, hypotensive patients and people with normal blood pressure.

A rare pulse at normal pressure does not greatly affect the general well-being of a person. This type of bradycardia occurs in people who exercise regularly, especially if the training involves intense aerobic exercise. If, in this condition, severe weakness occurs, dizziness, nausea occurs - the reasons lie in congenital or acquired cardiac pathologies.

A rare pulse and low blood pressure are considered by doctors to be among the most severe pathologies - against the background of a constant oxygen deficiency, irreversible processes develop in the brain cells. The cause of such symptoms is severe hypothermia, starvation, trauma to the cervical and thoracic spine, and poisoning.

A rare pulse with increased pressure develops against the background of a weakening of the sinus node, blockade of the heart muscle, and disturbances in the functioning of the thyroid gland. Bradycardia in hypertension is difficult to treat because blood pressure lowering drugs slow the heart rate even further. In turn, medications that normalize the heart rate can provoke a pressure jump upward.

With a rare pulse, the supply of oxygen to all internal organs worsens, which leads to increased fatigue, dizziness, confusion, and fainting.

Causes in women and children

In women, a rare pulse often occurs with hormonal imbalances - at puberty, during pregnancy, during menopause, before menstruation.

Menopause is accompanied by functional bradycardia - changes in heart rate are not provoked by heart pathologies, but by a decrease in the level of sex hormones in the blood.

In children, the pulse rates are much higher and reach adult levels by the age of 15. The main causes of bradycardia are poisoning with toxic substances, congenital pathologies of the heart and brain, infectious diseases, overwork. The child is more sensitive to changes in climatic zones, which is reflected in the heart rate.

Important! A child can be diagnosed with moderate bradycardia - the pathology occurs with respiratory arrhythmia, and a rare pulse is observed with deep breathing during sleep.

Basic Treatments

If the pulse has become less frequent and seizures occur frequently, it is necessary to undergo a thorough diagnosis in order to identify the true cause of the pathology. Bradycardia is treated by a cardiologist and a neurologist.

In the treatment of a rare pulse, drug therapy, pacing are used, and in severe forms, an implant is sewn in, which normalizes the heart rhythm.

Main drugs:

1. Sympathomimetics (Izadrin). The drugs are effective, but have many side effects, so they should be taken only under the constant supervision of a doctor.
2. Caffeine, Askofen - hypertensive patients should not be taken, and with normal and low pressure, 1-2 tablets should be consumed per day.
3. Zelenin drops - take 15 drops twice a day a quarter of an hour before meals, dilute in 120 ml of warm water beforehand.
4. Alupent, Kogitum - means for raising heart rate indicators.

With high pressure and a rare pulse, inhibitors and diuretics are prescribed. Hypertensive patients should not increase their heart rate with drinks and drugs with caffeine and exercise.

Most often, the treatment of bradycardia is carried out in a hospital, since the disease requires careful diagnosis and constant monitoring of heart rate indicators.

Therapy with folk remedies

Important! If the pulse rate is below 40 units, folk and traditional medicines should not be used - this condition is very dangerous and urgent medical attention is needed.

If a rare pulse is caused by emotional overstrain, nervous breakdowns, high blood pressure, Corvalol will help. Take the medicine three times a day before meals, 20 drops.

What to do with an attack of bradycardia? A hot bath, ear massage, contrast shower, and a little warm-up help to normalize the heart rate.

Simple exercises to increase heart rate at home:

1. Raise both hands up, hold for 10 seconds, lower.
2. Make a few sharp squeezing and unclenching movements with the left hand - this exercise helps to cope with pain.
3. Make a few gentle head turns.
4. In the prone position, do 10 times the exercise "scissors", "bicycle".
5. Lying on your back, pull your knees to your chest and clasp your hands. Try to open your arms with knee pressure.

An effective and versatile remedy for bradycardia is to mix 220 ml of sugar and sesame seed oil, add 550 g of peeled and chopped walnuts. Place 4 large lemons in a separate container, they should first be cut into small pieces, pour 1 liter of boiling water. Combine both mixtures, take the medicine 15 ml 30 minutes before each meal.

A rare pulse may indicate the presence of serious diseases or have a physiological origin. If seizures appear frequently and are accompanied by a sharp deterioration in well-being, then it is necessary to undergo a complete examination in order to diagnose and eliminate the cause of the pathology in time. To prevent a decrease in heart rate, it is necessary to streamline the daily routine - get enough sleep, eat regularly, devote time to active rest.

Article publication date: 03/04/2017

Article last updated: 12/18/2018

From this article you will learn: a pulse of 50 is a norm or a pathology, is it dangerous or not. Causes and characteristic symptoms of such a pulse. What to do with a pulse of 50 beats per minute, whether he needs treatment or not.

Pulse 50 - unexpressed bradycardia. This is not an independent pathology, but a symptom of a number of diseases. Often it is accompanied by diseases of the heart, thyroid gland, sometimes it occurs as a side effect of certain drugs and is recorded in infections.

In some cases, a pulse of 50 per minute is found in people who do not suffer from any diseases, and is regarded as a normal variant that does not require treatment.

In general, this condition is not dangerous.

This problem is treated by a cardiologist, therapist or (less often) an endocrinologist. In some cases, bradycardia can be eliminated completely, while in others, for various reasons, it accompanies the patient all his life.

Causes of Pulse 50

Bradycardia is physiological ("normal") and pathological.

1. Physiological bradycardia

Physiological bradycardia is not a symptom of any disease, it is absolutely not dangerous for health. It may occur in the following situations:

1. If a person is in good physical shape, trained. The heart of an athlete gets used to a high load. At rest, it is reduced, although infrequently, but strongly - and this is enough to maintain adequate blood circulation in the body.
2. With a long stay of a person in conditions of low temperatures. This leads to a decrease in body temperature to 35 degrees or less, and a slowdown in the pulse in such a situation is a protective reaction of the body in order to save energy resources.
3. As a result of stimulation of reflex zones. Stimulation of certain areas of the human body irritates the fibers of the vagus nerve, which leads to a decrease in the pulse. Such areas are, for example, the eyeballs and the lower part of the lateral surfaces of the neck. A person can stimulate them without even thinking about it - intensively rub his eyes, for example, with conjunctivitis, or tighten his tie tightly. The bradycardia that arose for this reason is short-lived - the heart rate quickly returns to normal.
4. In the process of aging. In elderly people, there is a tendency to slow down the heart rate and pulse. The reason is areas of connective tissue (scientifically - cardiosclerosis) that occur during a person's life as a result of metabolic disorders or the outcome of myocardial diseases (heart muscles). They impair the muscle's ability to both contract and conduct nerve impulses. Also, in the body of older people, metabolic processes slow down, tissues no longer need a lot of oxygen, which means that the need for active work of the heart decreases. All these changes underlie the slowing of the pulse in the elderly. Such bradycardia is a natural process, it is constant.

2. Pathological bradycardia

What can lead to the development of a pathological form of bradycardia:

Heart diseases

Most heart diseases are accompanied by an increase in its contractions - tachycardia. However, bradycardia also occurs. It can be found in diseases of an inflammatory nature (endocarditis, myocarditis), and those accompanied by sclerosis of the heart muscle (myocardial infarction, diffuse or focal cardiosclerosis). With sclerosis of the heart, myocardial cells are replaced by connective tissue; Roughly speaking, scars of various sizes form on the heart.

If the pacemaker is affected, it occurs - the node generates impulses with a lower frequency, the heart contracts less often. Violation of conduction (when any part of the conduction pathways is damaged, it is impossible to conduct an impulse) is called a blockade.

In some heart diseases, bradycardia is constant, while in others it occurs in attacks.

Decreased thyroid function (hypothyroidism)

The essence of this condition is to lower the blood level of thyroid hormones - thyroxine and triiodothyronine, which are actively involved in metabolic processes, regulate heart activity and maintain the tone of the nervous system. With a decrease in their level in the blood, bradycardia develops.

Hypothyroidism is accompanied by thyroiditis, congenital underdevelopment of the thyroid gland and some other diseases. It can also develop as a result of a neck injury.

Pathology of the nervous system

The heart is innervated (that is, connected by nerves) by branches of the vagus nerve, which belongs to the parasympathetic nervous system.

Increased tone of the parasympathetic nervous system can cause a decrease in heart rate. Irritation of the vagus nerve can be with:

• depressive disorders;
• neuroses;
• vegetovascular dystonia;
• intracranial hematomas (blood accumulations due to traumatic brain injury or hemorrhagic stroke);
• tumor diseases of the organs of the middle part of the chest cavity;
• ulcer of the stomach and duodenum and in patients who underwent surgery on the organs of the head, neck, mediastinum (middle chest cavity).

poisoning

One of the symptoms of poisoning with compounds of lead, phosphorus, nicotine and narcotic substances is a slowing of the pulse to 50 (its degree directly depends on the amount of toxic substance that has entered the body).

Diseases of an infectious nature

A number of infections - viral hepatitis, typhoid fever, sepsis - can occur with bradycardia.

Taking certain medicines

A decrease in heart rate is a common side effect of many medications (beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, cardiac glycosides, amisulpiride, morphine, and others). As a rule, bradycardia occurs as a result of non-compliance by the patient with the doctor's recommendations regarding the doses and regimen of taking drugs, but it also happens that even the minimum dosage contributes to its development.

Usually, this side effect does not pose a threat to the health and life of the patient, but if it occurs, it is still worth informing the attending physician about it.

3. Idiopathic bradycardia

In the case when the doctor fails to diagnose diseases that could cause a decrease in heart rate to 50 beats per minute, and the physiological causes of such a pulse are also not determined, bradycardia is called idiopathic. It can occur intermittently or be permanent.

Symptoms

In fact, bradycardia is itself a symptom. But the symptom is objective, which is determined at the stage of examination of the patient. Subjectively, many people with a slight slowdown in heart rate (for example, 50 per minute) feel quite satisfactory and do not complain. This statement applies to both physiological and pathological bradycardia.

However, all people are different, and even a decrease in heart rate to 50 beats per minute in a number of patients may be accompanied by signs that worsen their quality of life:

• dizziness (systemic blood flow is at least a little, but disturbed, the heart is not able to maintain arterial blood flow - it decreases; brain cells experience oxygen deficiency, dizziness occurs):
• general weakness (is a consequence of oxygen deficiency in the muscles);
• increased fatigue (oxygen starvation of the body leads to a rapid depletion of its energy resources, and their replenishment takes longer than in healthy people);
• shortness of breath during exercise (with bradycardia, the pumping function of the heart is reduced, which contributes to stagnation of blood in the vessels of the lungs; such vessels cannot maintain gas exchange at the required level; to compensate for this, the brain gives the lungs the installation to breathe more often);
• pain behind the sternum, arising from a lack of oxygen in the body or as a symptom of an underlying heart disease.

Such a patient is pale, with physical exertion there is an excessive increase in heart rate and shortness of breath.

With pathological bradycardia, other symptoms of a different nature associated with the underlying disease are always found. Conversely, all of the above clinical signs occur not only with bradycardia, but accompany the course of many other diseases. Therefore, if they occur, the patient must consult a doctor - a general practitioner or a cardiologist. The specialist will conduct a series of examinations, based on the results of which he will make a final diagnosis.

Diagnostic principles

The fact that a person has bradycardia can be detected independently by determining the pulse on the radial artery (on the wrist). He may also suspect it if the symptoms listed above are present.

Click on photo to enlarge

The doctor is engaged in the diagnosis of diseases that could lead to a slowing of the pulse. First of all, he will listen to the patient's complaints, the history of the disease (when complaints arose, are they permanent or occur periodically, how does the patient alleviate his condition) and life (past illnesses, working conditions, and so on). Then he will conduct an examination, palpation (determine the pulse), auscultation (listening with a phonendoscope) and percussion of the heart (tapping to determine the boundaries).

Based on the data received, the doctor will prescribe an examination for the patient, which may include:

1. electrocardiography;
2. phonocardiography;
3. daily (Holter) ECG monitoring;
4. Ultrasound of the heart;
5. determination of the level of thyroid hormones in the blood;
6. determination of the presence of toxins in the blood;
7. a general blood test and some other studies (depending on the pathology that the doctor suspects).

When the cause of bradycardia is identified, the doctor will prescribe treatment for the patient.

Treatment Methods

To begin with, according to the laws of medicine, we do not treat the symptoms, but the disease.

Physiological bradycardia is a variant of the norm, which means that therapeutic measures are not indicated for it.

Pathological bradycardia, not accompanied by any subjective sensations, not worsening the patient's condition, is subject to dynamic observation.

A patient who has a pulse of 50 beats per minute, the doctor will not prescribe drugs that increase its frequency, but this does not mean that the disease that led to the slowing of the pulse should not be treated. That is, with pathological bradycardia, the primary goal of the doctor is to eliminate its cause - the underlying disease. In the treatment of such a patient, medications can be prescribed:

• anticholinergics (atropine);
• isadrin;
• levothyroxine (with reduced thyroid function);
• antibiotics (if the patient has myocarditis);
• adaptogens (drugs based on magnolia vine, ginseng, aralia, eleutherococcus);
• drugs that improve metabolic processes in the heart (thiotriazoline, meldonium).

Forecast

The prognosis for bradycardia depends directly on why it arose. Physiological bradycardia does not affect the quality and duration of human life.

Pathological bradycardia with a pulse rate of 50 beats per minute in itself does not pose a danger, but the disease that led to it can significantly worsen the quality of his life.

To prevent this, it is important to diagnose diseases at an early stage and follow the doctor's recommendations regarding their treatment.

The pulse is a jerky oscillation of the arterial wall caused by the ejection of blood into the arteries during the contraction of the heart. During normal heart function, the pulse rate corresponds to the heart rate.

Normal heart rate values ​​are considered to be between 60 and 90 beats per minute. A heart rate of less than 60 beats per minute is characterized as a slow pulse or bradycardia (it would be more correct to speak of a low pulse rate, but the expression low pulse has taken root in everyday life). Most often, a decrease in heart rate is not a cause for concern, on the contrary, it somewhat reduces the load on the heart muscle. But severe bradycardia (heart rate below 50 beats per minute) can be evidence of various diseases, and in itself provoke the development of clinical symptoms that are unpleasant for the patient.

What causes a low heart rate?

Changes in the heart muscle - myocardium, associated with the replacement of muscle cells with scar tissue and affecting the main "generator" of contractile impulses of the heart, the so-called. sinus node. This condition is referred to as sick sinus syndrome (SSS).

A common cause of a low heart rate is irregular heartbeat, where not all heartbeats are strong enough to be felt at the wrist.

It happens:

• with frequent interruptions, extrasystoles;
• atrial fibrillation;
• heart blocks.

Bradycardia can also be caused by:

• prolonged exposure to low temperatures;
• increased activity of the parasympathetic nervous system;
• an increase in intracranial pressure that occurs with cerebral edema, tumors, hemorrhage in the brain tissues and membranes, as well as meningitis;
• certain drugs, such as beta-blockers or antiarrhythmics;
• intoxication with various chemicals;
• dysfunction of the thyroid gland, for example, with hypothyroidism;
• Infectious diseases.

In addition, a decrease in heart rate is often found in trained athletes and young healthy people who are often exposed to physical stress. Bradycardia in such categories of people is considered a physiological norm if it does not manifest itself with any pathological symptoms.

What can slow heart rate lead to?

Minor cardiac arrhythmias may not cause any subjective complaints or sensations at all.

But a significant decrease in heart rate, which is less than 40 beats per minute, can manifest itself with symptoms such as:

• general weakness;
• Decreasing or, conversely, increasing pressure;
• persistent dizziness;
• the appearance of cold sweat;
• difficulty breathing;
• fainting states.

In such situations, it is necessary to be examined by a specialist cardiologist. A consultation with the doctors of the CELT clinic will guarantee that all studies will be carried out as soon as possible. And the professionalism of our specialists will allow us to accurately determine the cause of the decrease in heart rate and, if necessary, prescribe adequate treatment in time (link to the schedule of cardiologists).

How is a slow pulse diagnosed?

As mentioned above, the pulse rate reflects the heart rate. Therefore, a more accurate method of recording heart rate is electrocardiography. But if the doctor is faced with the task of only counting the pulse, and not evaluating other parameters of cardiac activity, then a simpler way is to palpate (palpate) the superficially lying arteries of the human body. This method does not require any special training and equipment, so it allows you to get immediate results.

ECG monitoring using a miniature recorder is even more informative. The method is also called Holter monitoring. Continuous registration of the heart rate allows you to most accurately find out the features and causes of the slowing of the heart rate.

There are several points on the human body where the pulse can be measured by palpation. The most popular way is to palpate the radial artery on the inside of the wrist. It must be remembered that it is necessary to count the number of strokes on both hands, since a weakening of the pulse on only one of them can be a sign of a serious pathology of the cardiovascular system.

Treatment for bradycardia

It is necessary to treat not a decrease in heart rate (bradycardia), but to find out the cause of a rare pulse. Doctors of the CELT clinic know in which cases medical intervention is necessary. Therefore, the issue of diagnosis and identification of the cause comes to the fore here. In a situation where bradycardia is severe, accompanied by loss of consciousness, there is a risk of sudden cardiac arrest and there is a threat to the life of the patient, we recommend implanting a pacemaker.

The resting pulse of an adult healthy person fluctuates between 60 and 80 beats per minute. A constant heart rate of 55 beats per minute or lower in the absence of objective causes may indicate dysfunction of the cardiac sinus node. With a pulse less than 60 beats per minute, bradycardia develops. It is important to diagnose the disease, determine the root causes and undergo a course of treatment.

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Pulse 50: good or bad?

A slight constant decrease in heart rate with good health can be observed in athletes, and this just indicates that they are in good sports shape. At rest, in sleep (in its deep phase) or in the cold, the frequency decreases, but then returns to normal. It is believed that the lowest frequency occurs at night, and the highest - in the evening. The pulse rate depends on age - it decreases with aging, in older people it is minimal, on gender - in women it is higher, but in late pregnancy it may decrease due to the pressure of the uterus on the inferior pudendal vein. But if the frequency steadily deviates from the norm by more than 10%, and a person's pulse is recorded at 50 beats per minute. and less, this indicates the development of pathology.

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What is the danger of lowering the rhythm?

A constantly slow pulse - less than 45 beats - leads to a lack of oxygen and other vital substances in the organs, which leads to malfunctions in their work. A pulse of 45 and below in a person can provoke oxygen starvation of the brain. If the low pulse is less than 40 beats per minute, then the heart may stop. This is the lower limit. Most often this happens at night, and in the absence of immediate assistance, a person may die.

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Symptoms that characterize bradycardia

Bradycardia is most often accompanied by headaches and dizziness.

Violation of the blood supply to organs with bradycardia leads to an imbalance in the work of the whole organism. The state of health, working capacity worsens, endurance decreases, drowsiness appears, profuse sweating even in comfortable temperature conditions. All these changes cannot be ignored, because the consequences can be unpredictable. Violation of the pulse and heart rhythm are characterized by such signs:

• persistent headaches and dizziness;
• fatigue, weakness;
• nausea, vomiting;
• frequent fainting.

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What are the reasons for the development of the disorder?

The number of pulse beats may be less than the number of heartbeats. In this case, we speak of a pulse deficit. The reason for this is a weak heartbeat, in which an insufficient amount of blood enters the aorta, and its wave does not reach the peripheral artery. If the results of the cardiogram confirm the presence of pathology, when the number of heart contractions decreased, and the intervals between them increased, this means that there is dysfunction of the cardiac sinus node. A pulse of 50 beats per minute is often caused by:

• aging;
• heart diseases (ischemic heart disease, myocardial infarction, endocarditis and myocarditis);
• disruption of the thyroid gland;
• an increase in the content of potassium in the blood;
• low blood pressure;
• increased intracranial pressure;
• Botkin's disease;
• taking certain medications;
• intoxication;
• neuroses;
• starvation.

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Diagnostic methods

Holter monitoring is used for more accurate diagnosis.

To diagnose bradycardia, the pulse is first counted. If the pulse at rest is small at any time of the day, the patient undergoes an electrocardiogram. But the ECG is not always able to detect this disease due to the unstable pulse rhythm. Then Holter monitoring is done: a small recorder of electrical heart signals is put on the patient, and he wears it throughout the day. It is possible that a laboratory test, coronography, ultrasound of the heart and samples with atropine will be needed. If there is no cardiac pathology, the cardiologist refers the patient to other specialists for consultation. In case of diseases of the nervous or endocrine system, as well as pathologies of organs that could cause a decrease in pressure, they are treated.

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What to do if the pulse is 55?

The goal of treatment is to increase the heart rate to such a level that blood can reach all organs to ensure their normal functioning. Often drugs are used to increase blood pressure. After a thorough comprehensive examination by specialists, depending on the causes of cardiac arrhythmias, patients are prescribed the following medications:

When the conduction system of the heart is damaged, a pacemaker may be implanted in the patient. It is placed under the skin to correct the heart rhythm, more often used in patients who are over 65 years of age. They put a pacemaker in cases where the patient is taking medication for another disease, and they reduce the heart rate. If severe forms of bradycardia are not treated, the patient can lose consciousness and be injured at any time, and a heart rate drop below 40 can be fatal.

Patients with an implanted pacemaker should not be near a strong electromagnetic field, because its effect may disrupt the operation of the device.

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Treatment without drugs

Bradycardia is often treated with Zelenin drops, which include valerian, lily of the valley, belladonna and peppermint oil, or hawthorn tincture. They increase blood pressure and heart rate, stimulate blood vessels. They are also used to increase the effectiveness of the medications listed above. To improve the condition, you can use the following folk remedies:

• ginseng root;
• eleutherococcus;
• aralia manchurian;
• Chinese lemongrass;
• sweet tea.

If a person's pulse is fixed at 50 beats per minute, but he feels normal, and the cardiogram did not show significant deviations in the work of the heart, then no treatment can be carried out. It is enough to control the frequency of pulsations, adhere to a sparing regimen and diet, do exercises that strengthen the heart vessels, drink vitamins and green tea, do not drink alcohol, stop smoking.

The pulse is the rhythmic fluctuation of the volume of blood within the vessels. caused by myocardial contraction. They are caused by pressure in the vessels for 1 cardiac cycle. The manifestation of this process occurs as shocks during probing of large vessels.

• normal pulse 60-80 strokes/min. This indicator should be measured in a supine position and mainly after sleep, in the morning.
• We must not forget that the pulse is affected such a circumstance as age.

  For example, in infants, it can be equal to 140 beats per minute. A low pulse in an elderly person reaches approximately 65 beats per minute.

  The highest rates are found in preschool children, often around 100 beats per minute. Over time, the pulse decreases, and by old age, its characteristics will become the lowest. But experts have found that before death, it can rise again and reach 160 beats per minute.

• The pulse has the ability to change taking into account the physical and emotional state. For example, with running and other loads, an increase occurs; stressful situations and other emotional upheavals cause high pulse characteristics.

What heart rate is considered low

Low heart rate is a fairly popular phenomenon, provoked by a malfunction in the functioning of the heartbeat.

Experts believe that with the characteristics of the pulse less than 55 beats per minute there are all signs of diagnosing a pathology in a person, which is associated with malfunctions in the functioning of the heart. Such dysfunctions are otherwise referred to as bradycardia.

Low pulse and low blood pressure- a clear symptom of bradycardia. Basically, a decrease to 50 beats per minute can be observed with low blood pressure.

In addition, these indicators associated with physiological factors: for example, it has the property to decrease in a calm state or during deep sleep. This process can be observed during a long stay in a cold place or a sudden change in climate. When the pulse decreases without objective reasons, you should consult your doctor.

Decreased heart rate up to 50 or 40 beats per minute, indicates a violation in the functioning of the heart, therefore, during the observation of this symptom, you should ask for recommendations from a cardiologist for subsequent diagnosis.

Preliminary, it is necessary to make a cardiogram of the heart. When the diagnosis establishes that the pulse corresponds to the heart rate, that is, the characteristics of these 2 categories are identical, then there are grounds to declare that a person has bradycardia.

In another article, we talk a lot about the causes of low blood pressure and rapid heart rate.

Many of our readers actively use a well-known method based on natural ingredients for the treatment of ARRYTHMIA and heart problems. We strongly recommend you check out… » Low heart rate symptoms

A low pulse can also occur in the absence of symptoms, for example, if this is a physiological feature of a person. Then there is no reason to worry - such symptoms do not pose a threat to life. Insignificant deviations in the heart rhythm may not cause discomfort or complaints to a person.

When the pulse becomes very small (less than 40 beats / min), the following pathology appears:

• Poor sleep, irritability.
• Failures in the work of the cardiovascular system.
• Lethargy.
• Difficult breathing.
• Hypertension or hypotension.
• Vertigo.
• Cold sweat.
• Nausea.
• Failures in coordination.
• Unconscious state.

Possible consequences of bradycardia may include permanent syncope, heart failure, in critical situations - sudden cardiac arrest. In this regard, it is necessary to detect the symptoms of such a pathological phenomenon in time and consult a cardiologist.

Bradycardia is not always provoked by heart disease, popular causes include dysfunction in the endocrine system, hypotension, intoxication, diseases of the nervous system, infectious diseases, high intracranial pressure.

Causes of a low heart rate

Changes in the myocardium are due to the replacement of muscle cells with scar tissue and affect the main "generator" of contraction of cardiac impulses, the sinus node. This phenomenon is referred to as sick sinus syndrome.

Often, the cause of bradycardia is thought to be an irregular functioning of the heart, when some of the contractions of the heart are not strong enough to be felt on the wrist.

Such a situation could be:

• during constant failures, extrasystoles;
• atrial fibrillation. Here you can read about the pulse deficit in atrial fibrillation.
• heart block.

Low heart rate causes:

• prolonged stay at low temperature;
• increased activity of the parasympathetic nervous system;
• the development of intracranial pressure, which occurs during cerebral edema, neoplasms, hemorrhage in the brain and membranes, with meningitis;
• certain medications, such as beta-blockers or antiarrhythmic drugs;
• intoxication with various chemicals;
• interruptions in the work of the thyroid gland, for example, during the period of hypothyroidism;
• infectious diseases.

In addition, a decrease in heart rate can often be observed in people involved in sports and at a young age who regularly exercise. A low pulse in a similar category of people is the norm when there are no pathological symptoms.

If a child has a pronounced low pulse, this is a signal of insufficient blood supply. In this situation, you need to consult with a cardiologist.

What does a low heart rate mean?

Bradycardia speaks of heart rhythm failures due to disturbances in the functioning of the myocardium. The causes are varied, the most common being hypotension.

It is possible to establish the development of heart pathology using a cardiogram. It can develop in connection with dysfunction of the sinus node, which produces an electrical impulse.

The result of this process will be a poor supply of oxygen to organs and tissues, substances that are required for proper operation.

This leads to a variety of failures in the functioning of internal systems and organs.

Bradycardia does not bother the patient at first, but over time, other traditional signs of a low pulse are added to it:

• persistent dizziness and headache;
• general lethargy and fatigue;
• nausea and gag reflex;
• fainting states.

With a lack of oxygen, fainting, dizziness, a headache and a low pulse can become an extremely dangerous condition.

Changes in the pulse provoke endocrine pathology, psychological stressful situations, various thyroid diseases and the use of hormonal drugs.

A slow pulse is considered a companion of coronary heart disease, arterial hypertension, congenital and acquired defects, myocardial infarction.

A low pulse is understood as a decrease in the heart rate below 60 beats per minute, normally the pulse is 60-80 beats. A decrease in the heart rate to 50–55 beats or less indicates the development of the disease and is called bradycardia.

Reasons for a slow heart rate

A low pulse (45 or less beats / min.) Can be a manifestation of a disease in the body. The reasons for this are related to the form of bradycardia. So, extracardiac bradycardia occurs in the following cases:

• vegetovascular dystonia;
• neurosis;
• high blood pressure when some antihypertensive drugs are used to treat it;
• brain tumors;
• meningitis;
• brain injury;
• hypothyroidism;
• fasting;
• Meniere's syndrome;
• kidney colic.

Excess pressure on the carotid artery also causes a slow pulse.

Organic bradycardia occurs mainly due to cardiosclerosis or myocardial infarction. With the weakness of the sinus node, the frequency of the impulses is insufficient. In violation of the conduction of impulses from the atrium to the ventricle, they speak of heart block. In this case, the frequency of its contractions may drop to 55-56 per minute.

The following drugs also cause a weak pulse:

1. Quinidine.
2. Cardiac glycosides.
3. Beta blockers.
4. Morphine.
5. Calcium channel blockers.
6. Some antiarrhythmic drugs.
7. Sympatholytics.

Withdrawal of these drugs (only on the advice of a physician) returns the heart to normal rhythm and no additional measures are usually required.

Finally, a low and infrequent pulse, often below 40 beats/min., develops due to intoxication. The reason for this phenomenon may be:

• uremia, that is, poisoning of the body with protein breakdown products;
• viral hepatitis;
• sepsis;
• phosphate intoxication;
• high levels of calcium or potassium in the blood.

A decrease in the frequency of heart beats to 55–52 per minute occurs in trained people. In athletes, the pulse can be 45 beats / min. In addition, a decrease in heart rate even up to 40 beats occurs in the following cases:

• exposure to cold;
• aging of the body (in the elderly);
• smoking.

If the reasons for the decrease in heart rate cannot be established, they speak of idiopathic bradycardia.

The causes of a decrease in the frequency of heart contractions can only be determined by a doctor. To find out for what reason a low pulse occurred, the patient must undergo all types of examinations.

Signs of a slow heart rate

A mild decrease in heart rate occurs almost imperceptibly for a person. This also applies to cases where the frequency of 50–60 beats is a physiological feature. Its further decrease, less than 50 strokes, can affect the patient's well-being. He feels dizziness, fatigue, drowsiness, irritability.

If a rare heart rate (50 beats and below) is caused by a malfunction in the organ itself, then a person has the following symptoms:

• dizziness;
• headache;
• semi-conscious state;
• chest pain;
• dyspnea.

Lowering the heart rate to 42 or even less beats per minute is dangerous to health. It can cause oxygen starvation of the brain. Symptoms of this condition depend on whether a person suffers from heart disease, whether he has a malfunction of the thyroid gland. So, in case of violation of the thyroid gland, the patient may experience muscle weakness, trembling fingers, severe weight loss without changing the diet.

Weak pulse (48 beats), combined with heart disease, is accompanied by the following symptoms:

• fatigue after physical exertion, which does not go away even during a long rest;
• pain in the chest and limbs;
• drowsiness;
• sweating;
• swelling in the limbs.

When such a rare pulse as 50 beats or less with reduced pressure, it will be accompanied by severe weakness. Its occurrence is characteristic in the morning hours, when sleep does not bring a pronounced feeling of rest. Often a person's memory, vision are disturbed, his thinking is confused.

Violation of cerebral circulation leads to the development of symptoms of oxygen starvation of this organ. In severe cases, swelling of the brain is possible. In this case, pronounced disorders of the functions of this organ occur, associated with the loss of reflexes. The most dangerous complication of cerebral edema is coma.

A decrease in heart rate to 30-35 beats per minute threatens to stop the heart. In such cases, resuscitation is required.

Diagnosis and treatment

The easiest way to determine a reduced heart rate at home is to count it. In the hospital, this is done more accurately with an electrocardiogram. ECG monitoring using a mini-registrar provides more information about the causes of a decrease in heart rate. It is imperative to conduct a biochemical blood test, study it for hormones, as well as identify signs of an inflammatory process.

Good results are obtained by ultrasound examination of the heart. To assess the increase in the frequency of contractions of the organ, load bicycle ergometry is used.

Low heart rate treatment is carried out in a hospital setting. With severe clinical manifestations, in order to increase the frequency of heart contractions, the patient is prescribed:

1. Atropine IM or IV.
2. Isadrin (drip, in glucose solution).
3. Isoproterenol in a drip.
4. Alupent.

If the signs of a low level of heart rate are not pronounced, the patient will be helped to increase the pulse to a normal level by preparations of belladonna, eleutherococcus or ginseng. It's good to have a cup of coffee. However, with atherosclerosis, Raynaud's disease, high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, the frequency of its contractions cannot be increased in this way.

With a low heart rate, nutrition also helps. Algae, fish oil, nuts, pepper dishes are useful for people with this problem. If the pulse is lowered unsharply, a foot bath, applying mustard plaster to the collar zone can increase it.

Prevention of a decrease in heart rate consists, first of all, in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. It is necessary to give up alcohol and smoking, as well as move more. Healthy sleep will help increase the heart rate. Your diet should include more plant-based foods. To strengthen the body, you should often be in the air.

Taking good care of your health can help you avoid problems with your heart rate.

From this article you will learn: what does a low pulse indicate at high pressure, its causes. In what cases the condition of patients should be regarded as critical. What to do to normalize broken indicators.

• Causes of this condition
• How dangerous is this
• Necessary examinations
• How you can help: treatment
• Forecast

An increase in pressure of 85-90% is accompanied by an acceleration of the heartbeat. Only in 10-15% of cases of hypertension is it normal or even delayed. A low heart rate is less than 60 beats per minute. The peculiarity is that, despite the low frequency, in people with high blood pressure (more than 140/90 mm Hg), it can be easily felt even on the arteries of the forearm.

Such a dissociation of these indicators of the cardiovascular system in different ways can disturb patients. With a decrease in heart rate to 55 beats per minute, there may be no complaints or threats. A more pronounced decrease is dangerous by a violation of cerebral circulation and even threatens life. The higher the pressure and the lower the pulse, the more pronounced the disturbances in the body.

Changes can be normalized. The treatment is carried out by a cardiologist, a general practitioner or a family doctor.

Causes of this condition

The range of normal pulse rate (heart rate) is 60 to 90 beats per minute. If their numbers are lower, this condition is called bradycardia. High blood pressure (hypertension) - blood pressure numbers over 140/90 mm Hg. Art. The pulse is a reflection of heartbeats, so their frequency should be the same.

Normally, the adaptive reactions of the body are tuned in such a way that with an increase in pressure, the heart rate and pulse should simultaneously increase. Dissociation (diversity) between these indicators, when the pressure rises and the pulse decreases, indicates a failure in the regulation of the cardiovascular system.

This can be due to both physiological (regular) causes and pathological conditions (diseases). They are described in the table.

Constantly slow, rhythmic and uninterrupted pulse with a frequency of 60-55 beats per minute, if the patient's condition is satisfactory and there are no complaints	Rhythmic or intermittent pulse with a frequency of less than 55, there are characteristic complaints and symptoms, and the general condition is disturbed
Prolonged (years) presence of arterial hypertension People involved in sports Decreased heart rate at night or in cooler climates Taking drugs and substances that slow down the heartbeat	Severe myocardial diseases (myocarditis, ischemic disease, heart attack) Heart rhythm disorders (arrhythmias) Vegetative-vascular dystonia Diseases of the endocrine system (thyroid and adrenal glands, pituitary gland) Sick sinus syndrome

How dangerous is this

An increase in pressure with a simultaneous slowing of the heart rate (pulse) disrupts blood circulation in the body. Vital organs - the brain and the heart - suffer the most. The mechanisms of their defeat are:

• Against the background of high pressure, arterial vessels spasm (narrow the lumen).
• Low contractile activity of the heart is accompanied by a slowdown in the speed and intensity of blood flow.
• All organs and tissues are poorly supplied with blood, which disrupts their normal functioning.

The combined increase in pressure (more than 160/100 mmHg) with a low pulse (less than 50) can carry a double threat if the condition is due to pathological causes. With such hemodynamics (blood circulation), myocardial nutrition is sharply reduced, stroke and heart attack are possible, aggravation of a slow rhythm, and even cardiac arrest.

In the case of natural (physiological) insignificant differences in these indicators, there are no serious threats to health and life, since the body is able to compensate for these deviations. But even bradycardia in the range of 55-60 beats per minute, which occurs periodically for no apparent reason, should be a reason for contacting a specialist - a cardiologist - and a full examination.

Possible symptoms and manifestations

A decrease in heart rate below the norm is not always accompanied by complaints against the background of arterial hypertension (high blood pressure) - about 15% of patients are able to perform their usual work. Severe deviations from the norm not only violate the general condition, but also threaten life. Possible symptoms are described in the table.

In order to assess how the patient's condition is impaired, it is necessary to measure the pulse and pressure. Mechanical tonometers show only the value of blood pressure, and electronic - both indicators. You can count the pulse by placing your fingers on any artery (this can be the inner surface of the forearm or shoulder, the femoral-inguinal region).

Pulse locations

In patients with a pulse less than 50 beats per minute, loss of consciousness, acute cerebrovascular accident and stroke, heart attack, pulmonary edema, sudden cardiac arrest and death are possible.

Necessary examinations

Mandatory diagnostics for a decrease in heart rate, combined with hypertension, includes the following:

1. Examination by a specialist - a cardiologist, therapist or family doctor.
2. Electrocardiography (ECG).
3. Ultrasound of the heart (echocardiography).
4. Holter monitoring (daily ECG recording and pressure registration).

Additionally, general, biochemical and blood tests for the level of hormones of the thyroid and other glands, advanced ultrasound and x-ray examinations may be required.

Diagnostic methods for a decrease in heart rate, which is combined with hypertensionHow can you help: treatment

Only a doctor can prescribe treatment for hypertensive patients with a rare pulse. It is selected individually, taking into account the cause of this condition. But what to do to provide emergency care, everyone should know. General activities that can help or hurt during an attack are described in the table.

Preparations for hypertensive patients with a rare pulse

If even a slight slowdown in the pulse and an increase in pressure are accompanied by characteristic complaints and violate the general condition of patients, it is necessary to call an ambulance or take the patient to the nearest hospital. Only after the examination can the correct treatment be prescribed. It may be necessary to eliminate these deviations:

• constant use of blood pressure lowering drugs (ACE inhibitors, diuretics, some calcium channel blockers);
• setting a pacemaker;
• surgery.

Modern technologies make it possible to restore even such paradoxical disorders as a decrease in heart rate with high blood pressure. The prognosis depends on the cause of such deviations and the state of the cardiovascular system. Timely emergency care during an attack saves the lives of 95-97% of patients.

Pulse is the fluctuations of the vascular walls felt during palpation, which are caused by the contraction of the heart muscle and the passage of a certain volume of blood. The pulse frequency is considered normal, which ranges from sixty to eighty beats per minute. At the same time, it is better to measure the parameter in the morning, shortly after waking up. The values ​​of the indicator depend on a number of reasons, among which is the age of the person. So, the number is 140, while in older people it drops to 60 - 65. The pulse quickens during physical exertion, emotional experiences, fear, increased blood pressure, and certain diseases.

It is generally accepted that a healthy person always has a weak pulse, and the lower the rate, the better. In principle, there is some truth in this statement, but you just need to take into account that it is true only if the indicator does not go beyond the norm. So, of course, it is easier for the body when the pulse frequency is sixty, not eighty, but values ​​\u200b\u200bthat do not reach the lower limit most often indicate the development of pathology.

Bradycardia, in which both the pulse and the heart rate (HR) are excessively low, can be of several types:

• Absolute- Heart rate does not change depending on external conditions, and the pulse rate is constantly low.
• Relative- Heart rate does not increase sufficiently with physical exertion or with an increase in body temperature. This condition is typical for professional athletes, occurs with traumatic brain injuries and diseases such as meningitis, typhoid, etc.
• Moderate- observed in children suffering from respiratory arrhythmia, while a low pulse rate is determined during sleep or with deep measured breathing.
• Extracardiac vagal- characteristic of neurological disorders, kidney diseases, diseases of other internal organs, but not cardiopathologies.

Why does the pulse drop?

The causes of bradycardia can be physiological, when the slowdown in the frequency of pulse beats is a natural reaction of the body to changes in external conditions and normalizes in a short time. These factors include:

• Hypothermia - if a person is in cold water for a long time or freezes in the cold.
• stressful situations.
• Increased physical activity.
• Improper nutrition - with the constant use of insufficient food, poor diet, lack of nutritional compounds.
• Non-compliance with the specified regimen of taking medications (especially in case of an overdose of antipyretics), prolonged use of β-blockers.
• Hypoxia caused by low physical activity and insufficient exposure to fresh air.
• The use of alcoholic beverages and drugs.

It can be due to both physiological causes and the development of a pathological process. In this case, changes in the indicator are not a separate disease, but a symptom of the underlying disorder, and it can be normalized only after the cause has been eliminated.

Pathological bradycardia is one of the symptoms of such disorders:

• Cardiopathology - ischemia, myocarditis, cardiosclerosis, postinfarction condition, atherosclerotic lesions of the coronary arteries.
• Diseases of the nervous system.
• endocrine disorders.
• Severe intoxication.
• Infectious and inflammatory disorders.
• Severe pain syndrome.
• Traumatic lesions in the chest and neck.
• Hypotension.
• Excessive excitation of the parasympathetic nervous system.
• Massive bleeding.
• Age-related disorders of cardiac activity.

How does the violation manifest itself?

A rare pulse indicates a malfunction of the heart muscle, failures of the normal rhythm, disturbances in impulse conduction in the sinus node. As a result, the intensity of blood flow decreases, internal organs and tissues receive an insufficient amount of oxygen and nutrients, which leads to the development of hypoxia and a number of diseases.

With absolute bradycardia, a person does not experience painful symptoms and may not even be aware of the presence of such a disorder for many years. Other types of disorder are characterized by such manifestations:

• Frequent severe headache and dizziness.
• Fainting state.
• Nausea, bouts of vomiting.
• High fatigue, weakness.
• Lowering blood pressure.
• arrhythmic shock.
• Difficulty breathing, shortness of breath.
• Reduced short-term memory, inability to concentrate, absent-mindedness.

How to treat the disorder?

Now let's figure out what to do if the pulse is low. First, it must be borne in mind that treatment is carried out only when a person has pain or bradycardia is caused by some disease.

If a weak blood pulsation is due to the influence of negative external factors, then they must be eliminated. In a serious condition, the doctor takes into account the characteristics of the underlying disease and uses the following drugs:

• Isadrin.
• Atropine.
• Isoproterenol.
• Alupent.

In case of a contraindication to taking Isadrin or Atropine, the patient is prescribed a tablet form of Ephedrine hydrochloride or Ipratropium bromide.

It is carried out only in the case of a diagnosis of a violation of the conduction of impulses in the heart. If the parameter decreases as a result of other disorders, then the treatment is aimed at eliminating the underlying disease, after which the pulse rate normalizes over time.

If the cause of a severe form of bradycardia is a violation of cardiac conduction, the patient is urgently placed in a clinic where they carry out the necessary treatment aimed at restoring cardiac activity. If drug therapy is ineffective, pacing is used, in which a device is transplanted under the patient's skin that normalizes heart rate.

If the painful symptoms are mild, tinctures of ginseng, guarana, eleutherococcus, preparations based on belladonna are effective. In addition, energy drinks containing caffeine, strong coffee or tea normalize the condition. It is also recommended to put a mustard plaster on the chest area or take a warm foot bath for fifteen minutes.

Folk remedies

To normalize a slow pulse, the following traditional medicine is used:

• In one hundred and fifty milliliters of sesame oil, add a pound of chopped walnuts, two hundred and fifty grams of sugar, four lemons cut into small pieces and a liter of boiling water. Morning, afternoon and evening before meals, take one tablespoon.
• Mix equal parts of radish juice and honey, take one teaspoon three times a day.
• Pour sixty grams of dry pine branches with three hundred milliliters of vodka and insist for ten days. Thirty minutes before a meal, take twenty drops of the drug.
• Rosehip broth - boil ten berries in half a liter of water for fifteen minutes. Cool the product, pass the berries through a sieve and add three teaspoons of honey. Before each meal, drink half a glass of decoction.
• Dilute forty drops of motherwort juice in a tablespoon of water.