Slow Heart Rate

[Peakoverload]

Does anyone else get episodes when their heart rate goes very low?

I’m in AF the whole time and the only medication I’m on is propranolol. Since being AF my heart rate has increased but not massively and I tend to be around 80bpm. As far as I can tell my heart rate never goes above 100 unless with exercise. I should also point out that I am most definitely not fit and in fact am very overweight.

Occasionally though my heart rate does drop significantly going down to around 45bpm and these episodes can last several hours. When this happens I can start to feel a bit weak and shaky almost like low blood sugar (my blood sugar is normal and I don’t have diabetes). It happened today and I took my blood pressure and it was a little on the low side 100/70 which would explain that. When my heart rate increased my BP came back up and I felt normal again. In fact I’ve often found that when my pulse goes slow that if I move about I feel better as it forces the heart to beat faster.

[CDreamer]

Yes, I think many people have some episodes like that. Are you taking any medications to control your HR? Often if AF burden is high and HR needs to be controlled then a pacemaker is advised so that BP and HR can be controlled.

It is something you should talk to your doctor about if these episodes often frequently.

BP of 100/70 is on low side but as long as systolic remains over 90 not dangerous. One thing for low BP is to crouch and strain - this will help raise your BP. Movement is always good and aim to move around for 10 mins every hour - my watch reminds me- donot sit for too long and when you do raise your legs to stop blood pooling in the legs.

[ochinee]

"Does anyone else get episodes when their heart rate goes very low?"

Yes 🙂

People are different so resting "low" bpm is relative. My normal (non-AFib, non-drug) resting bpm is mid 50's to 60's. AFib puts it up to high 70's mid 80's. Modest activity with AFib can bring up to120's/130's very quickly.

80mg Sotalol reduces it to mid to low 40's and I feel like crap at that rate (headache, some dizziness, exhaustion, basically the same as my symptomatic, persistent AFib makes me feel).

40mg Sotalol brings it down to high 40's to high 50's with very little side effects but doesn't keep me out of AFib very long, maybe a day or 2, so far.

[TillyBoss]

Some people say a bout of exercise seems to have a good effect on a fib

[JudiHalf]

My heart rate would go very low on occasions, always after an afib episode, down to 32bpm and I used to feel terrible. It would also do it at random times as well, I wasn’t taking any beta blockers.

Now have a pacemaker fitted and heart rate won’t go below 60 bpm, so much better, and my afib has reduced greatly as well.