Heart rate problems

[dev553344]

My heart rate got down to 44 beats per minute today. I looked up the risks associated with slow heart rate and it said "fainting" and "sudden cardiac arrest". I've had a few chest pains in the past few months and one episode of shortness of breath. I saw the doctor already and they did an EKG that turned up normal.

My heart rate shortly returned to 64 beats per minute and now it's up to 80 after drinking some coffee.

What should I do about this? I'm a little hesitant to go to the doctor at this point, but perhaps if it becomes a problem in some way.

 

[Michiah-Imla]

I will pray for you.

The body is a mystery. Sometimes even doctors don’t know what’s going on.

Get plenty of rest and keep the stress levels low.

Pray, meditate, and read the Holy Bible.

Seek medical attention if you feel like you need it.

 

[VictoryinJesus]

My heart rate got down to 44 beats per minute today. I looked up the risks associated with slow heart rate and it said "fainting" and "sudden cardiac arrest". I've had a few chest pains in the past few months and one episode of shortness of breath. I saw the doctor already and they did an EKG that turned up normal.

My heart rate shortly returned to 64 beats per minute and now it's up to 80 after drinking some coffee.

What should I do about this? I'm a little hesitant to go to the doctor at this point, but perhaps if it becomes a problem in some way.

Mine gets low, in bottom 50’s…not as low as yours. Have you been drinking plenty of water? I’ve called my doctor worried and she said dehydration can cause low heart beats. I’m not saying that is the case with yours but it is only a suggestion…

 

[amigo de christo]

Just march onwards in the LORD my friends . The LORD is with the lambs .

 

[Wynona]

I think you should see a doctor about it.

Lord, please heal devin335544's heart and chest pains in the name of Jesus. I plead the blood of Jesus over his body right now.

 

[FHII]

Do you exercise? If so, what and how intense? It is not unusual for a fairly good endurance trained person to have a HR that low. Some of the elites get down to 30.

There are other things to consider. How did you monitor it? Pulse check or an electronic monitor? Either way it could be a measurement error, but especially if you were taking your pulse an measuring against the clock.

Always, it is safe to error on the side of caution and see a doctor. But let's chat if you want. My degree is in exercise physiogy, so I understand a few things...

 

[farouk]

Do you exercise? If so, what and how intense? It is not unusual for a fairly good endurance trained person to have a HR that low. Some of the elites get down to 30.

There are other things to consider. How did you monitor it? Pulse check or an electronic monitor? Either way it could be a measurement error, but especially if you were taking your pulse an measuring against the clock.

Always, it is safe to error on the side of caution and see a doctor. But let's chat if you want. My degree is in exercise physiogy, so I understand a few things...

@FHII I'm sure you would have a lot of useful facts at your fingertips.

Seems to me that consistency and moderation are keys to effective, long term exercising (which I myself have to do).

 

[dev553344]

Mine gets low, in bottom 50’s…not as low as yours. Have you been drinking plenty of water? I’ve called my doctor worried and she said dehydration can cause low heart beats. I’m not saying that is the case with yours but it is only a suggestion…

I woke up this morning and there was a lot of dry skin. So maybe I was dehydrated a little. But I did drink water so I'm not sure why.

 

[dev553344]

Do you exercise? If so, what and how intense? It is not unusual for a fairly good endurance trained person to have a HR that low. Some of the elites get down to 30.

There are other things to consider. How did you monitor it? Pulse check or an electronic monitor? Either way it could be a measurement error, but especially if you were taking your pulse an measuring against the clock.

Always, it is safe to error on the side of caution and see a doctor. But let's chat if you want. My degree is in exercise physiogy, so I understand a few things...

Thanks @FHII , I just go for walks. So I'm no longer working out or anything like that. I'm in my 50's now and stopped doing any kind of serious exercise.

I can hear my heart beat each beat in my ears. It's been this way for years. It makes a swishing sound as it beats. So it was easy to count the swishes against a clock on my computer.

 

[dev553344]

I think you should see a doctor about it.

Lord, please heal devin335544's heart and chest pains in the name of Jesus. I plead the blood of Jesus over his body right now.

Thanks @Wynona. I will see a doctor if it happens too much or I get fainting spells. I just have been getting light headed sometimes when I get up for a walk.

 

[Lambano]

My heart rate got down to 44 beats per minute today. I looked up the risks associated with slow heart rate and it said "fainting" and "sudden cardiac arrest". I've had a few chest pains in the past few months and one episode of shortness of breath. I saw the doctor already and they did an EKG that turned up normal.

My heart rate shortly returned to 64 beats per minute and now it's up to 80 after drinking some coffee.

What should I do about this? I'm a little hesitant to go to the doctor at this point, but perhaps if it becomes a problem in some way.

How long did the low heart rate last, and what were you doing at the time?

My Smartwatch samples my pulse every so often during the day. I watch the "Heart Rate Variability" measurement (the standard deviation of the beat-to-beat measurements) because Atrial Fibrillation (which is dangerous) shows up as a high sigma. From that, I can look at the beat-to-beat measurements themselves. I have seen the phenomenon you describe in which my pulse downshifts to 40-odd BPM, but the duration (for me) is always less than the watch's 1-minute sample period. Then it returns to a normal resting rate. It only happens when I'm asleep or doing my sedentary office job. I meant to ask my heart surgeon's NP about it after my MRI last week, but I forgot.

Your doctor can get you hooked up with a portable heart monitor about the size of a cell phone and do a two-week full study on your heart's electrical signals. The new ones are far less obtrusive than the old Holter monitors. If you're worried about it and if your insurance covers it, check it out.

Oh, and since this is in the Prayer Request forum... I brought your name up before the Lord.

 

[dev553344]

How long did the low heart rate last, and what were you doing at the time?

My Smartwatch samples my pulse every so often during the day. I watch the "Heart Rate Variability" measurement (the standard deviation of the beat-to-beat measurements) because Atrial Fibrillation (which is dangerous) shows up as a high sigma. From that, I can look at the beat-to-beat measurements themselves. I have seen the phenomenon you describe in which my pulse downshifts to 40-odd BPM, but the duration (for me) is always less than the watch's 1-minute sample period. Then it returns to a normal resting rate. It only happens when I'm asleep or doing my sedentary office job. I meant to ask my heart surgeon's NP about it after my MRI last week, but I forgot.

Your doctor can get you hooked up with a portable heart monitor about the size of a cell phone and do a two-week full study on your heart's electrical signals. The new ones are far less obtrusive than the old Holter monitors. If you're worried about it and if your insurance covers it, check it out.

Oh, and since this is in the Prayer Request forum... I brought your name up before the Lord.

Thanks @Lambano. I'm not sure how long it was low. I just noticed it because my chest didn't feel right and so I checked the rate. I was sitting at the computer and got up to lay down.

I had a heart monitor hooked up several months ago and it checked out. I'm only concerned because I keep getting dizzy spells when I get up for walks and feel like I'm going to pass out.

I would bring it to my doctor, but we've already gone down this road and I feel like I need additional symptoms to present to her for it to be productive.

 

[Lambano]

I'm only concerned because I keep getting dizzy spells when I get up for walks and feel like I'm going to pass out.

That sounds more like low blood pressure.

When I first started my current AFIB medication, my resting BP dropped to 90 over 50. My cardiologist gave me permission to start putting salt on my food again.

 

[dev553344]

That sounds more like low blood pressure.

When I first started my current AFIB medication, my resting BP dropped to 90 over 50. My cardiologist gave me permission to start putting salt on my food again.

So your heart rate drops to 40 too? Maybe it's nothing to worry about then. I think my BP has always checked out OK and I had a doctor's appointment not too long ago when they checked it.

 

[Lambano]

So your heart rate drops to 40 too? Maybe it's nothing to worry about then. I think my BP has always checked out OK and I had a doctor's appointment not too long ago when they checked it.

Most Smart Watches can take your pulse. You can get an inexpensive one, and when you feel dizzy, do a quick pulse check and see what the ol' ticker is doing.

 

[VictoryinJesus]

I woke up this morning and there was a lot of dry skin. So maybe I was dehydrated a little. But I did drink water so I'm not sure why.

I am not advising you not to go see a doctor. I’ve wore a heart monitor. they’ve had me run on a treadmill then took pictures of how my heart valves open(because I get skipped beats regularly) . If you haven’t had these things done maybe having them, would put you mind at ease.(mine were benign). You said you get dizzy…I have learned whenever I get dizzy to check my blood pressure. If it is too high, then I need to rest from worrying. If its too low, then I need to drink more water …sweating out more than I am taking in. I’m bad to not drink enough water. I don’t mean just a glass whenever you are dizzy. My doctor fussed at me saying water all day and coffee doesn’t count as water.

 

[dev553344]

I am not advising you not to go see a doctor. I’ve wore a heart monitor. they’ve had me run on a treadmill then took pictures of how my heart valves open(because I get skipped beats regularly) . If you haven’t had these things done maybe having them, would put you mind at ease.(mine were benign). You said you get dizzy…I have learned whenever I get dizzy to check my blood pressure. If it is too high, then I need to rest from worrying. If its too low, then I need to drink more water …sweating out more than I am taking in. I’m bad to not drink enough water. I don’t mean just a glass whenever you are dizzy. My doctor fussed at me saying water all day and coffee doesn’t count as water.

But coffee does count as water LOL. Maybe not.

I have skipping beats. It was something that used to give me a lot of anxiety. I can hear my heart beat in my ears due to some head pressure. And when it would stop it used to scare me and I would get anxiety attacks that would cause it to skip even more. Something I dealt with for years. But the anxiety is no longer there. I already wore a heart monitor for the dizzy spells and skipping heart beats. It all checked out OK.

 

[amigo de christo]

But coffee does count as water LOL. Maybe not.

I have skipping beats. It was something that used to give me a lot of anxiety. I can hear my heart beat in my ears due to some head pressure. And when it would stop it used to scare me and I would get anxiety attacks that would cause it to skip even more. Something I dealt with for years. But the anxiety is no longer there. I already wore a heart monitor for the dizzy spells and skipping heart beats. It all checked out OK.

Devin it also sounds like you might be suffering from some anxiety my friend .
But remember this , HOPE IN THE GLORIOUS LORD and if the heart of a lamb does stop beating , THEN ITS WITH THE LORD .
And may the peace of the glorious LORD fill your mind as you rest in the HOPE of the LORD and IN HIS PROMISE .

 

[dev553344]

Devin it also sounds like you might be suffering from some anxiety my friend .
But remember this , HOPE IN THE GLORIOUS LORD and if the heart of a lamb does stop beating , THEN ITS WITH THE LORD .
And may the peace of the glorious LORD fill your mind as you rest in the HOPE of the LORD and IN HIS PROMISE .

Nope no anxiety. If I had anxiety I'd be running to the doctors.

 

[Bob Estey]

My heart rate got down to 44 beats per minute today. I looked up the risks associated with slow heart rate and it said "fainting" and "sudden cardiac arrest". I've had a few chest pains in the past few months and one episode of shortness of breath. I saw the doctor already and they did an EKG that turned up normal.

My heart rate shortly returned to 64 beats per minute and now it's up to 80 after drinking some coffee.

What should I do about this? I'm a little hesitant to go to the doctor at this point, but perhaps if it becomes a problem in some way.

I've never accounted this situation before. 44 sounds awfully low. I don't think coffee is the solution - might make things worse. Are you weight and cholesterol at acceptable levels?