How a VC Can Affect Your Heart

Many people experience occasional PVCs without any problems. If they occur often, PVCs may weaken your heart and increase the chance of suffering from heart failure.

A bundle of fibers located in the top right portion of your heart (the sinoatrial, or SA, node) typically regulates the heart's rhythm. Electrical signals travel to ventricles, or lower chambers of the heart.

Causes

PVCs are caused when the electrical impulse that normally starts your heartbeat in a part called the sinus node (also called the sinoatrial or SA Node) doesn't. The impulse actually starts in the ventricles, causing an untimed heartbeat. These extra beats are also known as ventricular tachycardia, and ventricular fibrillation. It may feel like the heart beats faster or feels fluttering. They can happen infrequently and cause no symptoms, or they can occur frequently enough to impact your daily life. If they are very frequent or cause weakness, dizziness or fatigue, your doctor may treat them with medication.

PVCs are generally safe and do not increase your risk of heart disease. Frequent PVCs, however, can weaken the heart muscle over time. This is especially the case if they are caused by a heart-related condition such as dilated cardiomyopathy arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy which could lead to symptoms of heart failure.

PVCs can cause symptoms, such as a sensation of your heart beating an beat, or fluttering. You may also feel exhausted. The fluttering could be more evident when you exercise or have certain drinks or foods. PVCs are more prevalent in those suffering from chronic stress or anxiety. Some medications, like digoxin, amiodarone and cocaine, may increase the risk of developing PVCs.

If you experience occasional PVCs, your doctor may suggest lifestyle changes and medication. If you are prone to frequent PVCs, your doctor may suggest that you stay away from certain foods and drinks, such as caffeine and alcohol. You can also lessen your stress by getting enough sleep and exercising.

If you've got a lot of PVCs, your doctor may recommend a medical procedure referred to as radiofrequency catheter ablation. It eliminates the cells that are responsible for them. Electrophysiologists are the ones who perform this procedure. The treatment is usually successful in treating PVCs which reduce symptoms, but it does not stop them from becoming recurring in the future. In certain cases, it can increase your risk of having atrial fibrillation (AFib) which can lead to a stroke. It is not common, but it could be life-threatening.

Signs and symptoms

Premature ventricular contractions, or PVCs can cause your heart to skip or flutter. These heartbeats that are not normal can be harmless, but you may want to consult your doctor in the event of frequent heartbeats or if you experience symptoms like dizziness or fatigue.

The electrical signals typically begin at the sinoatrial junction, located in the top right side of the heart. These signals move down to the lower chambers (or ventricles) which pump blood. The ventricles contract to pump blood into the lung. They return to the heart's center to begin the next cycle of pumping. However, a PVC starts in a different place that is separate from the bundle of fibers called the Purkinje fibers in the lower left part of the heart.

When PVCs occur, they can make the heart pound or feel as if it skipped a beat. If you experience just a few episodes but no other symptoms, the doctor probably won't be able to treat you. If you have a lot of PVCs and your doctor might suggest that you undergo an electrocardiogram (ECG) to monitor your heartbeat for 24 hours. They may also suggest wearing a Holter Monitor that records your heart rhythm and counts the number of PVCs.

Anyone who has suffered previously from a heart attack or have suffered from cardiomyopathy - an illness that affects the method by which the heart pumps blood - should take their PVCs very seriously and speak to a cardiologist regarding lifestyle modifications. These include the avoidance of alcohol, caffeine, and smoking, reducing anxiety and stress and getting enough sleep. A cardiologist can prescribe medications to slow the heartbeat like a beta blocker.

Even if you don't experience any other symptoms, you should still get PVCs checked by an cardiologist if they occur often. These heartbeats that are irregular could be a sign of a problem with the structure of your lungs or heart, and if they occur often enough, they can weaken the heart muscle. But most people suffering from PVCs do not experience any issues. They want to know if the rapid heartbeats, or the skipping of heartbeats is normal.

Diagnosis

PVCs may be felt as fluttering or skipped heartbeats, especially when they're frequent or intense. People who experience them regularly may feel faint. They can also occur with exercising, but most athletes who get them do not have any issues with their heart or health. PVCs can show up in tests like an electrocardiogram or a Holter monitor. These are sticky patches that have sensors to record electrical impulses from your heart. A cardiologist may also use an ultrasound echocardiogram to study the heart.

A doctor is often able to tell the presence of PVCs by looking at them and taking a medical history. Sometimes, they may not be aware of them until they examine the patient for other reasons, such as after an accident or surgery. Ambulatory ECG monitoring systems can also help detect PVCs and other arrhythmias and can be used if there's any concern of heart disease.

If your cardiologist determines that your heart is structurally normal, reassurance is the only treatment needed. If your symptoms are causing you discomfort or cause you to feel anxious, avoiding alcohol, caffeine and over-the counter decongestants, window and door doctor decreasing stress can aid. Getting regular exercise, staying at a healthy weight, and drinking enough water can reduce your episodes of PVCs. If your symptoms are persistent or severe, talk to your doctor about medication that may be able to manage the symptoms.

Treatment

If PVCs aren't causing symptoms or happen rarely generally, they don't require treatment. If you are frequently affected and frequently, your doctor might want to look for other heart issues and recommend lifestyle changes or medications. You might also get a procedure to get rid of them (called radiofrequency catheter ablation).

If you have PVCs, the electrical signal that causes your heartbeat is generated from a place different than the sinoatrial nerve (SA node) located in the upper right side of your heart. This can cause your heart to feel like it skips beats or has additional beats. It's not known what causes these symptoms, but they're common in people who have other heart conditions. PVCs are more likely to occur as you age, and may be more frequent during exercising.

A physician should perform an ECG along with an echocardiogram for a patient who has frequent and painful PVCs to determine if there are structural heart problems. They will probably also do an exercise stress test to see whether the extra beats are due to physical exercise. To find out whether there are any other causes for the extra beatings, a heart catheterization or cardiac MRI can be performed.

The majority of people with PVCs are not affected and can live the normal life. However, they can increase the risk of developing dangerous heart rhythm issues, especially if you have certain patterns of them. In some cases, this means that the heart muscle becomes weaker and has difficulty pumping blood throughout the body.

Regular exercise and a balanced diet will reduce your risk of developing PVCs. You should avoid foods that are high in sodium and fat as well as limit caffeine and tobacco. Sleep and stress are equally crucial. Certain medications can increase your risk of PVCs. So if you take one of these medications it's crucial to follow your doctor's recommendations about a healthy diet, exercise and taking your medication.

In studies of patients with pvc Doctor burdens that are high (more than 20% of total heartbeats) the higher rate of arrhythmia-induced cardiac myopathy was found. This can result in the need for a heart transplant in a few patients.