Low Heart Rate (Sinus Bradycardia)
How Is Slow Heart Rate A Symptom Of Anorexia?

Low heart rate (sinus bradycardia) is a heart condition that's common in people with anorexia. Damaged or weak heart muscle can create a slow heart beat and cardiac arrhythmias. It's a sign that there may be something wrong with the electrical system of the heart.

Low heart rate, and other heart conditions are seen quite frequently in anorexics because starvation diets wreak havoc on the body by damaging the heart muscle.

This causes it to beat more slowly, or irregularly, and could possibly lead to death.

Well-trained athletes are also known to have a low heart rate, but this is due to the fact that they are super-fit and their heart does not have work nearly as hard in order to meet the body's needs.

Sinus bradycardia in those who suffer from anorexia nervosa can be life-threatening.

In fact, physicians who are eating disorder specialists will make a point to strictly monitor their anorexic patients' heart health.

Sinus Bradycardia - Cardiac Arrhythmia In Anorexics

Doctors will monitor anorexics for various heart conditions, such as sinus bradycardia or other cardiac arrhythmias.

In sinus bradycardia the anorexics' heart is beating regularly, but at a very slow pace -- usually under 50 or 60 beats per minute.

Most of the time this causes no symptoms, other than feelings of weakness or lethargy. If the heart rate is around (or under) 40 bpm, an individual may faint due to the lack of blood circulating to the brain.

Cardiac arrhythmias, or abnormal heart rhythms, are common in people with anorexia. Starvation causes all kinds of heart problems and really takes its toll on the body. Sinus tachycardia occurs when the heart beats too fast -- usually over 100 bpm. Arrhythmias occur when the heart rate fluctuates between beating too fast and beating too slow.

Symptoms Of Low Heart Rate (Bradycardia)

Most people can feel it when their heart is racing and beating really fast (sinus tachycardia), but what are the symptoms if your heart rate is low (bradycardia)?

A slow heart beat may cause you to feel any or all of the following:

• Chest pains or heart palpitations (feelings of "fluttering")
• Have trouble concentrating; feelings of confusion
• Feeling tired
• Dizziness; lightheadedness
• Shortness of breath; difficulty exercising
• It may cause a drop in blood pressure and low blood pressure symptoms

Some people don't experience any symptoms at all -- or if they do, they might think that they're simply feeling tired after a long day. Others chalk it up to a normal part of the aging process.

Diagnosis And Treatment For Low Heart Rate

How is low heart rate diagnosed? The truth is, although treatment can be straightforward, it can sometimes be difficult to detect in the first place. This is due to the fact that it's a condition that tends to come and go, and sometimes produces no symptoms.

The usual first step is to diagnosing sinus bradycardia is to have an EKG (electrocardiogram) test done at your doctor's office. If this doesn't yield a confirmed diagnosis, the doctor may elect to pursue other testing options.

For instance, they may ask you to wear a portable EKG device called a Holtor monitor that will record your heart rate constantly for several days.

If (or when) your physician sees that your heart is definitely beating slower than it should, he/she will then prescribe a treatment plan. What that treatment is depends completely on severity, and what's causing the low heart rate.

If you think you might have a heart condition due to anorexia or for any other reason, consult a doctor as soon as possible for a complete check-up.

How can you tell if your heart rate is low if you don't know what "normal" is? Well, you can check it yourself! Find out your normal heart rate.

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