Can Bradycardia Cause Stroke?

Bradycardia (slow heart rate) may cause insufficient blood flow to the brain which can result in symptoms such as:

• Fatigue 
• Weakness
• Dizziness
• Lightheadedness
• Fainting (or near-fainting) spells
• Confusion
• Shortness of breath
• Difficulty exercising
• Cardiac arrest (in severe cases)

Causes of bradycardia (slow heart rate) may include: 

• Problems with the sinoatrial (SA) node, considered the heart’s natural pacemaker
• Problems in the conduction pathways of the heart that don’t allow electrical impulses to pass properly from the atria to the ventricles
• Metabolic problems such as low thyroid hormone (hypothyroidism)
• Heart damage from heart disease or a heart attack
• Some heart medications that have slow heart rate as a side effect

Bradycardia (slow heart rate) is diagnosed with a physical examination in which a doctor will listen to your heart with a stethoscope. 

Tests used to help diagnose the cause of the bradycardia may include: 

• Electrocardiogram (ECG)
• Holter monitor (wearable ECG)
• Event recorder
• Echocardiogram (“echo”)
• Electrophysiology (EP) study

If bradycardia (slow heart rate) only happens occasionally or is borderline, treatment may not be needed.

For people who are athletes or who are physically fit who have a slow heart rate, no treatment is needed.

Treatment for severe or prolonged heart rate may include: 

• Adjusting or discontinuing medications that cause slow heart rate as a side effect
  • Never stop taking a medication or change the dosage or regimen without first talking to your doctor
• Treating underlying medical problems such as thyroid disorders or obstructive sleep apnea 
• Surgery
  • Pacemaker to regulate the heart’s rhythm
  • Implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD)