Attention, chocolate lovers: You may not be able to help yourselves. Swiss and British scientists have linked the widespread love of chocolate to a chemical "signature" that may be programmed into our metabolic systems.
Read more health news
Bradycardia - Slow Heartbeat
- Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors
- Symptoms & Signs
- Diagnosis & Tests
- Prevention & Expectations
- Treatment & Monitoring
- Attribution
- View All
Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors
A slow heartbeat is called bradycardia and is defined as a heart rate that is slower than healthy levels. In most adults, the heart beats at least 60 times per minute. Faster, age-related heart rates are considered healthy in children.
What is going on in the body?
When a person is at rest, the heart normally beats at a rate that is within a fairly narrow range. This range is usually 60 to 100 beats per minute in adults and slightly faster in children. With certain conditions, however, the heart rate may decrease below a healthy range. When the heart beats lower than the healthy range, the body may not get all the blood it needs to work correctly. And this can affect a person's overall health and energy levels.
What are the causes and risks of the condition?
There are many possible causes of a slow heartbeat, including:
Regular exercise can also result in a slow heartbeat. This happens because the exercise actually strengthens the heart to the point where it can beat less often and still perform its job effectively. In this case, the slow heartbeat is nothing to be concerned about.
Other causes are also possible. Sometimes no cause can be found.