Bradycardia gets its name from two Greek words, bradys and kardia, that mean "slow heart." It is medically defined as an unusually slow heart rate. The average heart beats 60 to 100 times a minute, but a person with this condition has less than 60 beats per minute. Some very healthy athletes who do a lot of training may have heart rates below 60 beats due to their unusually strong heart muscles, but this does not count as bradycardia. The condition occurs when some sort of muscular, metabolic, nervous system, or endocrine issue causes the heart to beat very slowly. It is categorized as bradycardias of the sinoatrial node or atrioventricular node depending on which node of the heart is not regulating heart beat properly.
Symptoms of bradycardia are generally signs that a person is not getting enough oxygen rich blood throughout their body. If left untreated, a person can end up dealing with potentially fatal cardiac arrest or heart failure. Treatment will depend on a person's symptoms. Some people may not need any treatment while others may need a pacemaker installation and oxygen supplementation. Since bradycardia requires prompt treatment, you should visit your doctor if you notice these signs of bradycardia.
