Bradycardia

DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS MANUAL

Bradycardia, a heart rate below 60 beats per minute (bpm), can be a challenging clinical phenomenon. Various causes may be at play, and understanding them is crucial for accurate diagnosis and effective management. Below, we explore some of the most common causes of bradycardia and how to identify them.

Causes	Symptoms and Signs	Diagnostic Tests
Athlete’s Heart	Heart adaptation to training	Minimal symptoms, physiological bradycardia
Medications	Side effects of certain drugs	Fatigue, dizziness, syncope
Sinoatrial Disease	Sinus node dysfunction	Dizziness, weakness, syncope
Ventricular or Supraventricular Bigeminy	Arrhythmias like bigeminy	Palpitations, dizziness
Acute Myocardial Infarction	Acute myocardial infarction	Chest pain, fatigue, sweating
Hypothyroidism	Decreased thyroid function	Fatigue, cold intolerance
Hypothermia	Lowered body temperature	Confusion, shivering, cold skin
Severe Electrolyte Imbalances	Electrolyte imbalances, especially low potassium levels	Muscle weakness, palpitations