Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsTypesCausesRisk FactorsSymptomsDiagnosisTreatmentOutlookPossible ComplicationsSeeking Medical Care
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Types
Causes
Risk Factors
Symptoms
Diagnosis
Treatment
Outlook
Possible Complications
Seeking Medical Care
Sick sinus syndrome (SSS), also known assinus nodedysfunction, describes a group of problems that affect your heart rhythm. It happens when a defect occurs with your sinus node, also known as the sinoatrial node or SA node. Your sinus node controls the pace of your heartbeat.
The sinus node acts as your heart’s pacemaker. It conducts and sends electrical signals to make your atria (upper heart chambers) contract.
Failure of the sinus node can lead to an increase, decrease, or total failure of your heart’s pacemaker function. Your heart rate can become unable to meet the needs of your body.
This article describes everything you need to know about sick sinus syndrome. It includes SSS types, causes, risk factors, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and outlook.
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Types of Sick Sinus Syndrome (SSS)
At rest, a healthy sinus node produces electrical impulses for a heart rate of between 60 and 100 beats per minute. This is anormal sinus rhythmor normal heart rhythm.
Sick sinus syndrome occurs when damage or disease to the sinus node causessinusarrhythmia(irregular sinus signals) that is too slow, too fast, or erratic. The resulting abnormalities can occur:
How to Lower Your Heart Rate ImmediatelyPracticing deep abdominal breathing is the fastest way to slow a racing heartbeat. This practice can slow your heartbeat and lower your blood pressure.To practice deep abdominal breathing, do the following:Take a normal breath.Take a deep breath, breathing in slowly through your nose.Allow your chest and lower abdomen to rise as you fill your lungs.Allow your abdomen to expand fully.Breathe out slowly through your mouth or nose.
How to Lower Your Heart Rate Immediately
Practicing deep abdominal breathing is the fastest way to slow a racing heartbeat. This practice can slow your heartbeat and lower your blood pressure.To practice deep abdominal breathing, do the following:Take a normal breath.Take a deep breath, breathing in slowly through your nose.Allow your chest and lower abdomen to rise as you fill your lungs.Allow your abdomen to expand fully.Breathe out slowly through your mouth or nose.
Practicing deep abdominal breathing is the fastest way to slow a racing heartbeat. This practice can slow your heartbeat and lower your blood pressure.
To practice deep abdominal breathing, do the following:
Bradycardia
What Causes SSS?
SSS typically affects adults over age 50. The most common cause of SSS is the slow development of progressive fibrosis or damage to your sinus node that occurs with aging. However, its exact cause is typically impossible to define. When SSS occurs in children, it often develops due to damage to the atrium during cardiac surgery to correct congenital heart defects.
Generally, any condition that causes heart damage can also damage your sinus node. People with SSS may develop it because of intrinsic causes (causes that originate from structural or functional changes within the sinus node) or extrinsic causes (causes related to external factors that cause abnormalities of the sinus node).
Potential intrinsic causes of sick sinus syndrome include the following:
Potential extrinsic causes of sick sinus syndrome include the following:
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Risk Factors for SSS
Most cases of SSS occur in older men and women. However, you can develop sick sinus syndrome at any age. The condition results when age or other factors slow down your heart rate and lower the natural pacemaker function of your sinus node.
Having one or more of the following conditions increases your risk for SSS:
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Symptoms of SSS
SSS can be asymptomatic in its early stages. When symptoms occur, they can come and go, or become progressively worse.
Symptoms of SSS can include the following:
Diagnosing Sick Sinus Syndrome
Diagnosing sick sinus syndrome can be a challenge. Symptoms often resemble other types of heart problems, so finding their cause can require more than one type of evaluation. Symptoms may also be mild and intermittent, occurring well before people seek care.
A diagnosis of sinus node dysfunction is reached when cardiac monitoring links your symptoms to bradyarrhythmia. Reaching this diagnosis can involve the following evaluations:
Electrocardiography tests are also uses and include the following:
How SSS Is Treated
When symptoms occur, treatment may include the following:
Outlook for SSS
When other chronic conditions are not a factor, people with SSS who have symptoms treated with a permanent, implanted pacemaker typically have an excellent outlook.
Sick sinus syndrome typically worsens over time. As the disorder progresses and your heartbeat becomes more irregular more often, you have a higher chance of developing one of the following complications:
When to See a Healthcare Provider
It can be difficult to determine when to see a healthcare provider for changes in your heart rate. A heart rate that beats abnormally fast, slow, or suddenly switches from fast to slow can occur as a result of your body’s normal responses to factors like exercise, stress, or eating certain foods.
Having a heart rate above or below a normal resting heart rate is not always a sign of a medical problem. However, it is possible that these sensations require medical treatment. In extreme cases, they may be a sign of a cardiac arrhythmia (a problem with your heart’s electrical system).
Seek immediate attention if you have the following symptoms with a rapid heart rate or a heart rate that beats hard but not fast for long periods:
How to Check Your Heart Rate
Place your finger over your pulse and count the number of beats within 60 seconds.
Summary
Sick sinus syndrome (SSS) describes a group of heart rhythm problems that occur when your sinus node does not work right. It results in abnormal signals to your heart. This causes a heart rate that beats too slowly, too fast, or erratically.
While this problem most often affects older men and women, it can happen to anyone who has risk factors. Treatment usually involves an artificial pacemaker that ensures your heart receives normal signals.
Sick sinus syndrome is a chronic problem. While some people do not have symptoms, others have lifelong problems that get worse over time.
Getting the right diagnosis can help reduce your risk of problems with sick sinus syndrome. For most people with SSS, getting a pacemaker can improve their quality of life and long-term outlook.
15 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Heart Association.Target heart rates chart.American Heart Association.Bradycardia: slow heart rate.Hawks MK, Paul MLB, Malu OO.Sinus node dysfunction.afp. 2021;104(2):179-185.Harvard Health Publishing: Harvard Medical School.Relaxation techniques: breath control helps quell errant stress response.University of Rochester Medical Center.Sick sinus syndrome.Ewy GA. Sick sinus syndrome.Journal of the American College of Cardiology. 2014;64(6):539-540. doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2014.03.056Cedars Sinai.Sick sinus syndrome.Medline Plus.Sick sinus syndrome.Heart Rhythm Society.Sick sinus syndrome (SSS).American Academy of Family Physicians.Sick sinus syndrome.Oklahoma Heart Hospital.Understanding sick sinus syndrome.American Academy of Family Physicians.Sick sinus syndrome.American Heart Association.What should know about your heart rate?National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Cardiac arrest symptoms.Mount Sinai.Heart palpitations.
15 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Heart Association.Target heart rates chart.American Heart Association.Bradycardia: slow heart rate.Hawks MK, Paul MLB, Malu OO.Sinus node dysfunction.afp. 2021;104(2):179-185.Harvard Health Publishing: Harvard Medical School.Relaxation techniques: breath control helps quell errant stress response.University of Rochester Medical Center.Sick sinus syndrome.Ewy GA. Sick sinus syndrome.Journal of the American College of Cardiology. 2014;64(6):539-540. doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2014.03.056Cedars Sinai.Sick sinus syndrome.Medline Plus.Sick sinus syndrome.Heart Rhythm Society.Sick sinus syndrome (SSS).American Academy of Family Physicians.Sick sinus syndrome.Oklahoma Heart Hospital.Understanding sick sinus syndrome.American Academy of Family Physicians.Sick sinus syndrome.American Heart Association.What should know about your heart rate?National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Cardiac arrest symptoms.Mount Sinai.Heart palpitations.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American Heart Association.Target heart rates chart.American Heart Association.Bradycardia: slow heart rate.Hawks MK, Paul MLB, Malu OO.Sinus node dysfunction.afp. 2021;104(2):179-185.Harvard Health Publishing: Harvard Medical School.Relaxation techniques: breath control helps quell errant stress response.University of Rochester Medical Center.Sick sinus syndrome.Ewy GA. Sick sinus syndrome.Journal of the American College of Cardiology. 2014;64(6):539-540. doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2014.03.056Cedars Sinai.Sick sinus syndrome.Medline Plus.Sick sinus syndrome.Heart Rhythm Society.Sick sinus syndrome (SSS).American Academy of Family Physicians.Sick sinus syndrome.Oklahoma Heart Hospital.Understanding sick sinus syndrome.American Academy of Family Physicians.Sick sinus syndrome.American Heart Association.What should know about your heart rate?National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Cardiac arrest symptoms.Mount Sinai.Heart palpitations.
American Heart Association.Target heart rates chart.
American Heart Association.Bradycardia: slow heart rate.
Hawks MK, Paul MLB, Malu OO.Sinus node dysfunction.afp. 2021;104(2):179-185.
Harvard Health Publishing: Harvard Medical School.Relaxation techniques: breath control helps quell errant stress response.
University of Rochester Medical Center.Sick sinus syndrome.
Ewy GA. Sick sinus syndrome.Journal of the American College of Cardiology. 2014;64(6):539-540. doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2014.03.056
Cedars Sinai.Sick sinus syndrome.
Medline Plus.Sick sinus syndrome.
Heart Rhythm Society.Sick sinus syndrome (SSS).
American Academy of Family Physicians.Sick sinus syndrome.
Oklahoma Heart Hospital.Understanding sick sinus syndrome.
American Heart Association.What should know about your heart rate?
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Cardiac arrest symptoms.
Mount Sinai.Heart palpitations.
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