What is symptomatic bradycardia?
For the heart to beat, an electrical impulse is needed. These electrical impulses are produced in an area of the heart called the sinus node. When the electrical impulses produced by the sinus node are disturbed, the heart beats at a slower rate than normal (this is called bradycardia). This can cause problems such as faints, falls, dizziness, confusion, palpitations (when the person is aware of the heartbeat), difficulty breathing and chest pain. When bradycardia occurs with these symptoms it is called symptomatic bradycardia.
Common causes of symptomatic bradycardia are sick sinus syndrome and atrioventricular block, or a combination of the two. Sick sinus syndrome happens when the heart's sinus node doesn't produce the electrical impulses the heart needs to beat at the normal rate. Atrioventricular block is when the electrical impulses are partly or completely stopped from travelling between the chambers of the heart. Symptomatic bradycardia caused by either sick sinus syndrome or atrioventricular block can be treated using a pacemaker.