{"id":3160,"date":"2023-03-01T18:45:40","date_gmt":"2023-03-01T18:45:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/heart-explained.org\/?page_id=3160"},"modified":"2025-03-24T13:15:46","modified_gmt":"2025-03-24T13:15:46","slug":"atrioventricular-block-bradycardia","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/heart-explained.org\/index.php\/atrioventricular-block-bradycardia\/","title":{"rendered":"Atrioventricular block bradycardia"},"content":{"rendered":"<h5>Arrhythmias<\/h5>\n<h1>Atrioventricular block bradycardia<\/h1>\n<h2>What is atrioventricular block bradycardia?<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Atrioventricular block<\/strong> (<strong>AV block<\/strong>) is a type of heart block that causes an abnormally slow heartbeat (<strong>bradycardia<\/strong>).<\/p>\n<p>Like other heart blocks, <strong>AV block<\/strong> is caused by a blockage in the heart&#8217;s electrical system &#8211; in this case in the atrioventricular (AV) node. However, unlike other heart blocks, <strong>AV block<\/strong> disrupts and slows the heart rate, resulting in <strong>bradycardia<\/strong>. For this reason, <strong>AV block<\/strong> is considered to be a type of arrhythmia.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><b>Heart contractions: 3rd degree AV block vs normal<\/b><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t<iframe loading=\"lazy\" \n    width=\"400\" \n    height=\"554\"\n    data-static=\"https:\/\/heart-explained.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/stats\/b\/b5_01_002.gif\"\n    data-animated=\"https:\/\/heart-explained.org\/anims\/b5_01\/b5_01_001.html\"\n    src=\"https:\/\/heart-explained.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/stats\/b\/b5_01_002.gif\"\n    frameborder=\"0\" \n    title=\"animation of a beating heart\"><br \/>\n<\/iframe>\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>If you have <strong>AV block<\/strong> the electrical signals that normally travel from your sinoatrial (SA) node down through your AV node and then on to your ventricles are interrupted.<\/p>\n<p>The interruption can cause your heart to skip beats and become bradycardic, and it doesn\u2019t pump as effectively as a normal heart.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>AV block<\/strong> is defined as first, second, or third degree, depending on how significant the conduction blockage is.<\/p>\n<p>In <strong>first degree AV block<\/strong>, the least severe type, the electrical pulse is delayed but it still reaches your ventricles.<\/p>\n<p>In <strong>second degree AV block,<\/strong>\u00a0the electrical pulse is occasionally completely blocked. And in<strong> third degree<\/strong>, it is always blocked.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Third-degree AV block<\/strong> is usually considered to be a medical emergency. It has a serious impact on your heart\u2019s ability to pump and can be life-threatening.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>If you would like to learn more about a normal heartbeat take a look at <strong>Your heart: The basics<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/heart-explained.org\/index.php\/your-heart-the-basics\/\">.<\/a><\/p>\n<h2>What causes atrioventricular block?<\/h2>\n<p>Some people with <b>AV block<\/b> were born with it &#8211; this is called a congenital heart block &#8211; but for most people it develops with age; the AV node becomes sclerosed or scarred and this disrupts the heart\u2019s conduction system.<\/p>\n<p>To learn more about how your heart&#8217;s conduction pathways and how they work, take a look at <a href=\"https:\/\/heart-explained.org\/index.php\/your-hearts-electrical-system\/\">Your heart\u2019s electrical system.<\/a><\/p>\n<p><b>Electrical signals: Atrioventricular block vs normal<\/b><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t<iframe loading=\"lazy\" \n    width=\"400\" \n    height=\"554\"\n    data-static=\"https:\/\/heart-explained.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/stats\/b\/b5_01_001.gif\"\n    data-animated=\"https:\/\/heart-explained.org\/anims\/b5_01\/b5_01_001.html\"\n    src=\"https:\/\/heart-explained.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/stats\/b\/b5_01_001.gif\"\n    frameborder=\"0\" \n    title=\"animation of a beating heart\"><br \/>\n<\/iframe>\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>Non-age-related damage to the heart&#8217;s conduction system might be caused by scarring from previous heart surgery, particularly aortic or mitral valve surgery, but most cases it&#8217;s the result of a heart attack.<\/p>\n<p>Coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathy (heart muscle weakness or thickening), and heart valve disorders can all also cause <strong>AV block<\/strong>, as can any disorder that causes heart inflammation (myocarditis, for example).\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Common causes of <strong>AV block<\/strong> include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Age: Age-related AV block is usually seen in people over 50<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/heart-explained.org\/index.php\/heart-attack\/\">Heart attack<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Scarring from a surgical procedure, typically one involving the aortic or mitral valve<\/li>\n<li>Congenital conditions<\/li>\n<li>Medications that are intended to slow your heart rate<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>What are the symptoms of atrioventricular block?<\/h2>\n<p>If you have <strong>first-degree AV block<\/strong>, you may not experience any symptoms and may not even be aware that you have it. However, if you have <strong>second- or third-degree block<\/strong>, you will experience symptoms, and in the case of <strong>third-degree<\/strong>, they are likely to be severe.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Here is a list of the common symptoms of <strong>second-degree AV block<\/strong>. If you experience these symptoms you should seek medical advice:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Palpitations and a feeling of skipped heartbeats<\/li>\n<li>Shortness of breath<\/li>\n<li>Dizziness or fainting<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The main symptom of <b>third-degree AV block <\/b>is losing consciousness. This is a medical emergency.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Third-degree AV block<\/strong> can cause cardiac arrest and requires immediate medical care.<\/p>\n<p>If someone you know experiences this symptom you should immediately seek emergency medical assistance.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2>How is atrioventricular block treated?<\/h2>\n<p>Your doctor will determine the best course of treatment based on the degree of your <strong>AV block<\/strong> and the severity of your symptoms.<\/p>\n<p>If you have a <strong>first-degree block<\/strong> you may not need any treatment at all.<\/p>\n<p>Treatments for <strong>second- <\/strong>and<strong> third-degree <\/strong><strong>AV block<\/strong> include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Surgical insertion of a pacemaker<\/li>\n<li>Intravenous medications that will improve your heart\u2019s conduction of electrical signals and increase your heart rate may be administered in the hospital<\/li>\n<li>Adjustments to any medications you may already be taking that are slowing your heart rate<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>What are the aims of treatment?<\/h2>\n<p>The aims of treatment for people with<b> AV block<\/b> are to normalize your heart rate and improve your heart\u2019s ability to pump.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>In <strong>third-degree AV block<\/strong>, the immediate aim of treatment is to prevent cardiac arrest.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Arrhythmias Atrioventricular block bradycardia What is atrioventricular block bradycardia? Atrioventricular block (AV block) is a type of heart block that causes an abnormally slow heartbeat (bradycardia). Like other heart blocks, AV block is caused by a blockage in the heart&#8217;s electrical system &#8211; in this case in the atrioventricular (AV) node. However, unlike other heart [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":3,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"elementor_header_footer","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"no-sidebar","site-content-layout":"page-builder","ast-site-content-layout":"full-width-container","site-content-style":"unboxed","site-sidebar-style":"unboxed","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"disabled","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"disabled","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-3160","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/heart-explained.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3160","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/heart-explained.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/heart-explained.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/heart-explained.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/heart-explained.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3160"}],"version-history":[{"count":245,"href":"https:\/\/heart-explained.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3160\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17024,"href":"https:\/\/heart-explained.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3160\/revisions\/17024"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/heart-explained.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3160"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}