Really low heart rate

[Doggiemomma]

On August 24 of this year, After having what I thought was tachycardia for over 24 hours with a heart rate of 150 b/m, I ended up in the emergency room where it was determined I was having an SVT episode. That was resolved, surprisingly, by an IV of metoprolol.

After that, my electro-physiologist increased my Flecainide from 100 mg twice a day, to 150 mg twice a day but my other meds (metoprolol extended release) remained the same. I've been in good control since then, but I seem to have bradycardia with a low heart rate when I'm in bed for the night, of around 47 beats per minute, but no other symptoms. During the day, my heart rate is in the 50s or 60s beats per minute. I'll be 70 this year and I am not an athlete & do very mild & gentle exercise for a few minutes daily.

I emailed my electro-physiologist about this low heart rate and said I had some concerns about such a low heart rate and he said as long as I was not having any other symptoms, he was not worried.

Well, this is unusual for me and scary. Has anyone ever had this slow rate for any kind of an extended period of time? Is there anything I should know, about whether I have symptoms or not? He's the specialist, but he's also *not* a specialist with afib. Thank you!

Doggiemomma

[BobD Volunteer]

I think the important question is do you suffer at all from such a rate. Many people have low HR when sleeping or at rest but because they do not keep checking ( nobody other than we AFer s does) they just don't know. This sounds like an anxiety issue so maybe knowing it doesn't matter will help you.

I once tested a man of 80+ who had a normal heart rate of 36 and was quite healthy and happy and it was me who freaked out. Turned out he was an ex Lifeboat coxwain for forty years and was super chilled.

[Doggiemomma in reply to BobD]

Thanks Bob, and yes, my concern may indeed be tied with anxiety...and I'm *not* athletic at all.

[David1958]

Beta Blockers will do that to your heart rate. As a pilot I had to wear a Holter Monitor for 24 hours once per year. It always showed that at some point during the night my heart rate would go down to 40 bpm. My wife used to wake up in the middle of the night to make sure I was still breathing. Since I would not be awake when this was happening I never experienced any discomfort, at least not enough to wake me up. I have never stressed over my heart rate because it is obvious to me when I experience AF. Thank God I had that ablation in 2011. AF free since then and no meds.

[Doggiemomma in reply to David1958]

Thanks, David. You're so lucky you've been free of AF since 2011. For so many, it's not one-and-done. I guess the one-and-done people don't post on forums like this, so we focus on what we do read about things.

[David1958 in reply to Doggiemomma]

I did not start out in this forum. I was haunting the Prostate Cancer forum and one day decided to take a look at this forum. Either way I am an outlier. I am 9 years and change out from the ablation surgery and the prostatectomy surgery. No evidence of either condition following surgery. I just switched from twice a year PSA testing to once per year. It is like Christmas every time I get the result. Per the FAA I have to get an EKG once per year and the most prominent feature is an incomplete Right Bundle Branch Block. I have had that forever and pay it no mind. Am I lucky? You betcha! It always humbles me when I see what goes on here and over at the PC forum.

[Treschere]

Hi Doggiemomma, it is nothing to worry about if there are no other symptoms. I go down into the 30's at night and when I am resting 49-59 range. As Bob D said don't be anxious about it

[Doggiemomma in reply to Treschere]

Thanks for sharing this info about your own HR!

[Hidden]

Going about the house it is 46, out walking it goes up to 58. I came off Amiodarone 4 weeks ago when my resting rate was 41 which resulted in mild aching head. Not sure if there is still some Amiodarone in my system but the Amiodarone did put my heart back in rhythm. It may only be 46 bpm but I am still in rhythm and I am only taking Rivaroxaban.

[Doggiemomma]

Thank you for sharing a bit of your story!

[Aus19]

Hey there Doggiemomma, I have what's called sinus node dysfunction (not uncommon with AF), so I can have bradycardia of mid-40s one hour and then AF at 110 the next. Unless you pass out (and that can be a serious falls risk), it's quite possible to function with a low heart rate. I can normally feel when I'm in bradycardia, whereas I can't always tell when I'm in AF. Obviously, I wouldn't exert myself when my heart gets low, but generally it's tolerable, even in the low 40 bpms. I'm taking flecainide now (100 mg twice a day, with a beta blocker); last year when I was on Sotalol, my heart would get down to about 38 bpm during the day. Maybe you should take to your cardiologist again about your meds.

[Doggiemomma]

Thanks, Aus19, for your reply!

[cuore]

I take my heart rate right after I get up. It hovers around 46 bpm. I am on Propafenone 150 in the morning and 300mg at night, plus I am in my late seventies. I may be wrong, but I think when we're older, our heart rate is lower.

[Doggiemomma]

Thanks, cuore, for letting me know this! I know since I'm older, I sure don't get too excited about anything anymore! Well, maybe ice cream. LOL!