Bradycardia

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Introduction

Bradycardias are defined as symptomatic heart rhythm disorders resulting in a inappropriately low heart rhythm during during physiologic conditions. Generally this results in a cut-off value of <50 beats per minute, however variation of normal heart rate may exist. For instance, during sleep and in athletes the heart rate can be as low as 40 beats per minute.

Bradycardia can be caused by a variety of intrinsic and extrinsic causes.

To understand the pathophysiologic basis of most conduction disorders or disorders of impulse formation it is important to understand the physiology of cardiac conduction and mechanisms of arrhythmia as detailed in the general cardiac arrhythmia section [Link].