Bradycardia with pause episode/dizziness

[HuskyHendrix]

Excited to join this informative site. Do cardiac pause events cause chronic, long lasting dizziness, or only when the episode occurs? Does one Brady 5 sec pause over three weeks necessitate a pacemaker? I exercise aggressively 6 times a week for an hour or more. Heart rate reaches 85-95% of max in 10 or 15 mins with virtually no increased effort on my part. I lower the effort level considerably and heart rate drops quickly. Then as I double the workload over the initial 10 or 15 mins. my heart rate remains at 85% of maximum even though I'm working twice as hard. Any explanations would be really appreciated.

[CDreamer]

May I suggest you direct your questions to your doctor. We are not qualified (mostly) to answer. Only a competent doctor, knowing your previous medical history and having seen results from a mobile ECG recording would be able to answer your questions.

Best wishes CD.

[Kwenda]

How are you measuring the heart rate.?

Wrist based heart rate devices are well known to be unreliable during exercising and this accuracy becomes worse for those cycling.

Even some chest straps are not 100%, which is why Garmin have changed their chest straps 4 times over the last few years.

For a full evaluation you need a stress test at a hospital with a 12 lead ECG machine.

Dick

[Buffafly]

Speaking only from personal experience the answer to your question re dizziness is no.

[HuskyHendrix]

Thanks Buffafly, Are you saying that cardiac pause episodes result in short term dizziness or chronic, ongoing lightheaded, dizziness?

[Buffafly in reply to HuskyHendrix]

Short term.

[Hidden]

I would say a genuine 5 second pause would necessitate an urgent appointment with your family physician or cardiologist for evaluation. Are you in the US?

[HuskyHendrix]

Thanks Oyster, Met with the cardiologist and he reviewed my strips from the two week holter. Told me he generally recommends a pacemaker for a 5 sec pause, but told me to monitor my symptoms and if I have any to take a look at my I-watch ECG app to see if there are pauses. Told me to come back in six weeks. Just crazy!