Heart beats at 40bpm when awake

[szccdw]

I recently went the doctor for a bad cough and congestion that I was having. They did a chest x-ray and ruled out pneumonia and stated it was only bronchitis. They called me back two days later and told me that they had some concerns about my chest x-ray, that it showed I had an enlarged heart. They referred me to a cardiology specialist whose technician did an echocardiogram yesterday. She said there was only a slight enlargement but nothing she felt was alarming. My heartbeat ranged between 40 and 46 during the entire procedure. She asked me if this was normal for me and it wasn't (I usually run between 60-70). She said she was concerned about the range it ran when I was sleeping. The technician told me the MD would look over my images and someone would contact me. They called me today and told me they need me to do another echocardiogram next Tuesday. I am not an athlete, HTN does not run in my family and I have no health problems. What questions should I ask at my next appt? Has anyone ever heard of this happening before?

[VivaLasViejas, ASN, RN]

I'm sorry, but medical questions are beyond the scope of a nursing message board. The person best qualified to address your concerns is your primary care physician or cardiologist.

We wish you the best of luck, and hope you find the answers you need.