How to treat low rate rate condition?
Patient: My daughter is 30 years old and has a low heart rate.  She just had a holter done 24HR and her heart rate went down to 38.  She is not athletic.  I don't know if this was recorded in the night but her daytime heart rate has been recorded at 44 to 48.  What advice can you give me.  I am worried about heart failure.  Should I be??  She had an echo done and came back normal.  Could it be an over active vagal nerve. Thank you very concerned Dad Doctor: Hello SirThe medical details which you have mentioned of your daughter I have gone through them and first of all I would like to assure you that low rate in a young adult does not signifies HEART FAILURE so please take take that stress out of your mind.Yes heart rate often goes below 40 beats per min during deep sleep so that's alright. The only thing we need to check in your daughters case is that whether this low heart rate is sinus or not ( it means every P wave on EKG IN HOLTER is followed by a QRS or not). If it is sinus then you need not worry. For this its advisable that you should consult a cardiologist personally and discuss with the doctor.There is no need to treat Sinus bradycardia until unless the person is symptomatic.I wish her good health