My Dad Has An Exceptionally Low Heart Rate Of 44

[gordiescotland1]

I am slightly worried about my dad. He has atrial fibrillation and it was recorded on an ECG a few months ago and he was put on a betablocker bisoporol 1.25 mg a very low dose, I am on 10mg and rivoroxaban blood thinner 20mg the same dose I am on He complained to me tonight that he was very light headed in the mornings so I told mum and she checked his pulse it was 44. Which is ridiculously low, there is no way that dose of betablocker could do that. He is going to the doctor first thing on monday morning, I am wondering if he may need a pacemaker he is 80 and generally fit but not that fit to have an athletes pulse. Could there be something wrong with his bundle of hiss in the heart?

[Buenchico]

Hopefully Sqad will see this thread but, while you're waiting, I'll throw a couple of links your way which might be relevant:
https://www.webmd.boots.com/heart-disease/guide/bradycardia

http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Heart-block/Pages/Introduction.aspx

[Sqad]

gordie.......your diagnosis and suggestions are "spot on."

His low pulse rate could be due to his beta blockers.....that is the first port of call.
However your suggestion of an interruption of electrical impulses to his "Bundle of His" is the most likely scenario and i agree that he maywell need a pacemaker.

[campbellking]

Hi Gordie, I was having prolonged episodes of SVT last year and put on 2.5 mg bisoprolol, which dropped my heart rate into the forties (normal resting HR for me is 58). I did query this with my cardiologist, and he said it was fine, and essentially just to ride the storm a bit, and it did improve after a couple of months, although the light-headedness never quite went away. Luckily I had a cardiac ablation in December and am now symptom free and off the beta blockers. Always worth a check-over though.