What is bradycardia-tachy syndrome?
Tachycardia is characterized by a too fast heartbeat and is the opposite of bradycardia. As a rule, one speaks of tachycardia when the heart rate exceeds 100 beats per minute. In a bradycardia–tachycardia syndrome, there is a sudden change between slow and too fast heart rates.
Often the fast heart rate is followed by a short pause, which then changes into bradycardia. The therapy of the bradycardia-tachycardia syndrome usually includes measures that both contain the tachycardia, e.g. by administering beta-blockers, and remedy the bradycardia, e.g. by implanting a pacemaker. Since the therapy of bradycardia has now been explained, it is recommended at this point to also deal with the therapy of tachycardia: Therapy of tachycardia
What is reflex bradycardia?
Reflector bradycardia is particularly common as a side effect of norepinephrine therapy. Northern adrenaline is used as a drug for shock conditions. It shows a particularly good effect on the vessels in the body and also on the heart.
The vessels are constricted by the administration of noradrenaline and the blood pressure rises again as a result. At the heart, it causes among other things an acceleration and strengthening of the heartbeat. As a possible side effect, the body sometimes reacts to the increased heart rate and blood pressure by lowering the heart rate considerably – this behaviour is known in medical terminology as reflex bradycardia.
Diagnosis of bradycardia
If bradycardia is suspected, a physical examination is usually performed followed by an ECG measurement. The physical examination includes auscultation, i.e. listening to the heart and measuring the pulse. Here the physician can, if necessary, already obtain the first indications of the presence of bradycardia or its cause.
An ECG, i.e. an electrocardiogram, is then performed. With the help of small electrodes, which are previously attached to the body, this measures the electrical excitation or its transmission to the heart and also provides information about the heart rate. In order to see whether the low heart rate is continuously present, a long-term ECG can also be applied to the affected person.
This measures the electrical activity of the heart at certain intervals, usually over a period of 24 hours. Long-term measurement has the advantage that it also records disturbances that occur only occasionally. A medication history, i.e. which medications are taken, is also part of the diagnostic clarification.
This is particularly important, as there are numerous drugs that can have an effect on heart rate. The long-term ECG can be used as a diagnostic tool if bradycardia is suspected. The ECG measures the electrical currents in the heart and also provides information about the heart rate.
In order to detect irregularities, it is certainly useful to carry out a long-term ECG, which records the heart activity over several hours. Usually the ECG is taken for 24 hours. The recorded readings – in combination with the physical examination – make a decisive contribution to finding a diagnosis. Detailed information on the long-term ECG can be found here: Long-term ECG
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