For a patient with a heart rate of less than 60 bpm, what would you suspect?

A heart rate of less than 60 beats per minute is known as bradycardia. In many healthy individuals, especially those who are physically fit, a resting heart rate in this range can be considered normal due to more efficient heart function and increased vagal tone. Athletes, for instance, often exhibit lower heart rates as their cardiovascular systems are conditioned to pump more blood per beat, allowing for a slower rate while still adequately meeting the body’s needs.

In clinical situations, while bradycardia can also indicate other issues such as dehydration, anxiety, or respiratory distress, the context of an otherwise healthy individual makes this scenario a normal physiological variant rather than a sign of pathology. Therefore, recognizing the distinguishing factors of healthy physiology helps in accurately interpreting heart rate readings in various contexts.