What causes slow pulse rate in elderly?

What causes slow pulse rate in elderly?

A slow heart rate (or a low heart rate) is known as bradycardia, and occurs frequently in older adults. “As people get older, there is occasional normal wear and tear on the electrical system of the heart,” says cardiologist Jose Baez-Escudero, MD. “As a result, the normal rhythm tends to slow down.”

What is a slow pulse a sign of?

For some people, a slow heart rate does not cause any problems. It can be a sign of being very fit. Healthy young adults and athletes often have heart rates of less than 60 beats a minute. In other people, bradycardia is a sign of a problem with the heart’s electrical system.

Do you live longer with a slow heart rate?

Studies have consistently shown that a lower resting heart rate, at least down to 40 bpm, is associated with a longer life span, both in comparisons between individuals and between species. For every 20 additional beats per minute of resting heart rate, mortality increases by 30–50 percent.

How do you raise a low pulse rate?

Ways to get your heart rate up

  1. Set an incline. If you’re on the treadmill increase the incline.
  2. Take the stairs. Just like adding an incline, stairs bring a new challenge to your workout.
  3. Alter your pace.
  4. Take shorter breaks.

Can bradycardia cause stroke?

Taken together it’s referred to as bradycardia-tachycardia, or tachy-brady, syndrome. This is a type of sick sinus syndrome, and can be associated with the heart rhythm disorder atrial fibrillation and raise a person’s risk for complications that include stroke and sudden death, or cardiac arrest.

What happens if bradycardia is left untreated?

When bradycardia is more severe, you may experience shortness of breath, chest pain, and fainting. If severe bradycardia goes untreated, it could lead to cardiac arrest, meaning the heart stops beating, and that can lead to death.

How do you raise your pulse rate?

Can dehydration cause low heart rate?

Dehydration, Heart Rate, and Heart Health The amount of blood circulating through your body, or blood volume, decreases when you are dehydrated. To compensate, your heart beats faster, increasing your heart rate and causing you to feel palpitations.

What’s the slowest your heart can beat?

Bradycardia (also sinus bradycardia) is a slow resting heart rate, commonly under 60 beats per minute (BPM) as determined by an electrocardiogram. It is considered to be a normal heart rate during sleep, in young healthy or elderly adults, and in athletes….

Bradycardia
Frequency 15% (males), 7% (females)

What is the average pulse rate for a 70 year old?

60 years: 80 to 136 beats per minute. 65 years: 78 to 132 beats per minute. 70 years: 75 to 128 beats per minute.

What is the treatment for low pulse rate?

Bradycardia treatment may include lifestyle changes, medication changes or an implanted device called a pacemaker. If an underlying health problem, such as thyroid disease or sleep apnea, is causing the slower than normal heartbeat, treatment of that condition might correct bradycardia.

What medications cause low pulse rate?

These drugs tend to have a higher potential for bradycardia than other, noncardiovascular medications. However, numerous other drugs may, in certain individuals, slow the heart rate. Examples include donepezil (Aricept), morphine (Avinza, Kadian, MS Contin) and lithium (Lithobid). Mild bradycardia frequently causes no symptoms.

Is 75 a good pulse rate?

While within the normal adult range of 60 to 100, a 75 pulse is 10.3% quicker than the typical adult average of 73 bpm.

What causes high pulse rate in elderly?

Elevated Heart Rate Most Likely Caused by Medical Condition. Possibilities include anemia, an underlying infection, elevated thyroid hormone, or reaction to medication. Addressing those conditions would likely bring the heart rate back to a normal rate. Other factors may be involved, too, such as overdoing caffeine.

What is a dangerously low pulse rate?

A normal, healthy pulse rate is usually between 60 to 100 beats per minute, but if your pulse is slightly lower or higher, there is no need for immediate alarm. A pulse rate below 50 beats per minute, however, can cause serious symptoms, such as dizziness, fatigue, weakness, and even fainting. You may also experience difficulty breathing.