If the heart beats slower than normal, we are talking about bradycardia. Under normal conditions, the heart rhythm begins when an electrical impulse is generated, which is then sent by the sinus node – also called the “sinoatrial” – located in the right atrium.
This node is in charge of establishing the heart rate and rhythm. For this reason, it is considered a kind of “pacemaker.” Sometimes if the conduction pathways are damaged, or if there is an additional pathway, the heart changes rhythm; therefore, it can beat too fast (tachycardia), too slow (bradycardia), or irregularly.
These abnormal beats are known as “arrhythmias” and can occur in both the upper chambers (atria) and the lower chambers of the heart (ventricles). In this case, we focus on the definition of bradycardia and the treatments available for it.
What is bradycardia?
The term bradycardia refers to a number of conditions in which the heart beats less often than usual. In particular, there are less than 60 beats or beats per minute.
According to an article in Trends in Cardiovascular Medicine , it is a normal phenomenon in young athletes or as part of the aging process or disease. In turn, it can be classified according to the level of alternation within the hierarchy of the cardiac conduction system.
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