Word parts
What it means
The heart's pacemaker, the sinoatrial (SA) node, fires normally but slowly. On the ECG every beat looks normal, with a P wave before each QRS. It is common and harmless in athletes and during sleep. It can also come from drugs such as beta blockers and digoxindih-JOK-sinA drug that makes the heart beat more strongly and more slowly.Full entry , low thyroid, raised pressure in the skull, or a heart attack.
For the nurse
Look at the client, not only the monitor: report a slow rate with dizziness, fainting, chest pain, low blood pressure or confusion. Check the pulse before giving drugs that slow the heart, and hold them as ordered when it is too low.
In a chart
"Monitor shows sinus bradycardia at 48; client asleep, BP 118/70, no complaints on waking."
Related terms
bradycardia
A heart rate slower than normal; in an adult, fewer than 60 beats per minute.
electrocardiogram
A test that records the heart's electrical activity as waves on paper or a screen.
PR interval
The part of an ECG from the start of the P wave to the start of the QRS complex.