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Complications
By Mayo Clinic staffComplications of untreated bradycardia vary depending on how slow the heart rate is, where the electrical conduction problem occurs and what kind of damage may be present in heart tissue. If bradycardia is significant enough to cause symptoms, possible complications of the slow heart rate may include:
- Frequent fainting spells
- Inability of the heart to pump enough blood (heart failure)
- Sudden cardiac arrest or sudden death
- Arrhythmias and conduction disorders: Introduction. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec07/ch075/ch075a.html. Accessed April 19, 2009.
- Bradycardia. American Heart Association. http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3062833. Accessed April 26, 2009.
- 2005 American Heart Association guidelines for cardiopulmonary resuscitation and emergency cardiovascular care. Circulation. 2005;112(suppl):IV1.
- Vijayaraman P, et al. Bradyarrhythmias and pacemakers. In: Furst V, et al., eds. Hurst's The Heart. 12th ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill; 2008. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aid=3051085. Accessed April 26, 2009.
- Adan V, et al. Diagnosis and treatment of sick sinus syndrome. American Family Physician. 2003;67:1725.
- Gregoratos G. Indications and recommendations for pacemaker therapy. American Family Physician. 2005;71:1563.
- Mangrum JM, et al. The evaluation and management of bradycardia. New England Journal of Medicine. 2000;342:703.
- Atrioventricular block. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/print/sec07/ch075/ch075d.html. Accessed April 26, 2009.
- Sinus node dysfunction. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec07/ch075/ch075b.html. Accessed April 26, 2009.
- Bundle branch and fascicular block. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec07/ch075/ch075i.html. Accessed April 26, 2009.
- What are Holter, event and transtelephonic monitors? American Heart Association. http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3005149. Accessed Jan. 15, 2009.
- Epstein AE, et al. ACC/AHA/HRS 2008 Guidelines for Device-Based Therapy of Cardiac Rhythm Abnormalities: A report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines (Writing Committee to Revise the ACC/AHA/NASPE 2002 Guideline Update for Implantation of Cardiac Pacemakers and Antiarrhythmia Devices) developed in collaboration with the American Association for Thoracic Surgery and Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Journal of the American College of Cardiology. 2008;51:e1.
- Kaszala K, et al. Contemporary pacemakers: What the primary care physician needs to know. Mayo Clinic Proceedings. 2008;83:1170.
