Bradycardia and Trachycardia

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Bradycardia and Trachycardia

Trachycardia

Trachycardia, also called tachyarrhythmia, is a heart rate that exceeds the normal resting rate.In general, a resting heart rate over 100 beats per minute is accepted as tachycardia in adults. Heart rates above the resting rate may be normal (such as with exercise) or abnormal (such as with electrical problems within the heart).

When the rate of blood flow becomes too rapid, or fast blood flow passes on damaged endothelium, it increases the friction within vessels resulting in turbulence and other disturbances. According to the Virchow's triad, this is one of the three conditions that can lead to thrombosis (i.e., blood clots within vessels).

Bradycardia 

Bradycardia is a condition typically defined wherein an individual has a resting heart rate of under 60 beats per minute (BPM) in adults, although some studies use a heart rate of less than 50 BPM. Bradycardia typically does not cause symptoms until the rate drops below 50 BPM. When symptomatic, it may cause fatigue, weakness, dizziness, sweating, and at very low rates, fainting.

During sleep, a slow heartbeat with rates around 40–50 BPM is common, and is considered normal. Highly trained athletes may also have athletic heart syndrome, a very slow resting heart rate that occurs as a sport adaptation and helps prevent tachycardia during training.

The term "relative bradycardia" is used to refer to a heart rate that, although not actually below 60 BPM, is still considered too slow for the individual's current medical condition.

The word "bradycardia" is from the Greek βραδύς bradys "slow", and καρδία kardia "heart"

 

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Calvin Parker

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