How a VC Can Affect Your Heart

PVCs are common and may be experienced by many people without causing any problems. If they occur often, PVCs may weaken your heart and increase the risk for heart failure.

The heart's rhythm is usually controlled by a bundle of fibers located in the upper right corner of your heart. This is called the sinoatrial node or SA. Electrical signals travel from this node to the lower chambers of your heart or ventricles.

Causes

PVCs happen when the electrical impulse which normally starts your heartbeat at the Sinus Node (also called the Sinoatrial or the SA node) is not initiated. Instead, the impulse begins in another area of your heart--the ventricles--and causes a wrongly timed beat. These extra beats are also called ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation. It could feel as if the heart skipped a beat or feels fluttering. They can happen infrequently without causing any symptoms, but they could occur frequently enough to affect your quality of life. If they occur frequently or cause weakness, dizziness or fatigue, your doctor could treat them with medication.

For most people, PVCs are harmless and do not increase the risk of developing heart disease or other health problems. Over time, repeated PVCs can weaken the heart muscle. This is especially the case if they are caused by a heart condition like dilated cardiomyopathy, or arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, which could lead to symptoms of heart failure.