What is the potential outcome of untreated symptomatic bradycardia?

Untreated symptomatic bradycardia can lead to cardiac arrest due to the inadequacy of the heart to pump blood effectively at a slow heart rate. In cases of bradycardia, the heart beats too slowly, which may result in insufficient blood flow to the vital organs, including the brain. As the condition progresses without intervention, the heart's ability to conduct impulses and maintain an effective rhythm can deteriorate, possibly culminating in a complete cessation of cardiac activity, known as cardiac arrest.

While heart failure is a serious potential outcome of prolonged inadequate cardiac output due to bradycardia, it typically develops over a longer duration and is not the immediate risk associated with symptomatic bradycardia. Similarly, increased heart rate is not a potential outcome of untreated symptomatic bradycardia; rather, treatment is often aimed at increasing the heart rate. Hyperkalemia, an elevated level of potassium in the blood, may contribute to bradycardia but is not a direct outcome of the condition itself. Thus, the greatest risk associated with untreated symptomatic bradycardia is indeed cardiac arrest.