How a VC Can Affect Your Heart

PVCs are common and can be experienced by a wide range of people without causing any problems. If they happen frequently, PVCs may weaken your heart and increase your risk for heart failure.

A bundle of fibers located in the upper right-hand corner of your heart (the sinoatrial, or SA, node) usually controls your heart's rhythm. Electrical signals travel from there to the lower chambers of your heart or ventricles.

Causes

PVCs happen when the electrical impulse that typically starts your heartbeat at a point known as the sinus node (also called the sinoatrial node or SA node) doesn't. Instead, the impulse starts in a different part of your heart called the ventricles and triggers a wrongly timed beat. These extra beats are also known as ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation. They may feel like the heart skipped a beat or feels fluttering. They can happen infrequently and have no symptoms or they can occur frequently enough to affect your quality of life. If they happen frequently or cause dizziness, weakness, or fatigue, your doctor might treat them with medicine.

For most people, PVCs are harmless and aren't likely to increase your risk of heart disease or other health issues. A lot of PVCs, however, can weaken your 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 may lead to symptomatic heart failure.

PVCs can trigger symptoms such as a feeling of your heart beating an beat, or the feeling of your heart fluttering. You may also feel breathless. The fluttering could be more noticeable when you exercise, or eat or drink certain beverages or foods. PVCs are more common in people with chronic stress or anxiety. Some drugs, like digoxin, amiodarone or cocaine, may increase the risk of developing PVCs.

If you experience occasional PVCs your doctor may recommend lifestyle changes and medications. If you experience frequent PVCs, your doctor might recommend avoiding certain foods and drinks such as alcohol and caffeine. You can also take steps to reduce your stress, and make sure you get enough sleep and exercise.

If you have lots of PVCs The doctor may recommend a medical treatment known as radiofrequency catheter ablation. It eliminates the cells that cause PVCs. The procedure is carried out by a specialist called an electrophysiologist. The treatment is typically successful in treating PVCs and reducing symptoms, but it does not stop them from returning in the future. In some cases it may increase your risk of atrial fibrillation (AFib) which could lead to stroke. It's not common, but it can be life-threatening.

Signs and symptoms

Premature ventricular contractions, also known as PVCs, can cause your heart appear to flutter or skip one beat. These extra heartbeats are harmless, however you might want to consult your doctor when they occur frequently or if you are experiencing symptoms such as dizziness or fatigue.

The normal electrical signals start in the sinoatrial, located in the upper right corner of the heart. They then travel to the lower chambers, or ventricles, which pump blood. The ventricles exp experience any issues. They would like to know if fluttering heartbeats or skipping heartbeats is normal.

Diagnosis

PVCs can be akin to heartbeats that are fluttering especially if they are frequent and intense. Patients who have a lot of them might feel like they're about to faint. Exercise can trigger PVCs, but a lot of athletes who experience these symptoms do not have heart or health issues. PVCs may show up in tests like an electrocardiogram, or Holter monitor. These patches have sensors that record electrical impulses coming from your heart. A cardiologist could also employ an echocardiogram that uses ultrasound to look at the heart and observe how it's working.

A doctor will usually be able to determine if a patient has PVCs by examining them and taking their medical history. Sometimes, however, they may only be able to detect PVCs when they examine patients for a different reason, like following an accident or surgery. Ambulatory ECG monitoring systems also aid in detecting PVCs and other arrhythmias and could be utilized when there is a concern of cardiac disease.

If your cardiologist determines your heart is structurally healthy, reassurance could be all that's needed. If your symptoms are troubling or cause you to be anxious, avoiding alcohol, caffeine, and over the drug decongestants and decreasing stress can help. Getting regular exercise, staying at a healthy weight and drinking enough water can also reduce your episodes of PVCs. If you are experiencing symptoms that are persistent or severe, talk to your door doctor near me about medication that may be able to manage them.

Treatment

If PVCs don't cause symptoms or are not frequent they aren't usually in need of treatment. If you experience them frequently, your glass doctor near me may want to examine for other heart issues and recommend lifestyle changes or medications. You could also have an operation (called radiofrequency cathode ablation) to get rid them.

If you have PVCs, the electrical signal that causes your heartbeat starts somewhere different than the sinoatrial nerve (SA node) located in the upper right corner of your heart. It can feel like your heart skips a beat or has a few extra beats. It's not clear what causes these, but they're more common in people with other heart issues. PVCs are more likely to occur as you age, and they could be more frequent during exercising.

If a patient has frequent and painful PVCs the doctor is required to perform an ECG and an echocardiogram to rule out structural heart disease. They may also perform an exercise stress test to see if the extra beats are a result of physical exercise. To find out whether there are other reasons for the increased beats an invasive heart catheterization or an MRI could be conducted.

Most people who suffer from PVCs have no complications and live an ordinary life. However, they may increase the risk of developing dangerous heart rhythm problems, especially if you have certain patterns of them. In certain cases, it means that the heart muscle becomes weaker and is unable to pump blood through your body.

Regular exercise and a balanced diet will reduce your chances of developing PVCs. Avoid foods that are high in fat and sodium and restrict your intake of tobacco and caffeine. Stress and sleep are also crucial. Certain medications can increase the risk of developing PVCs. If you are taking one of these drugs it's crucial to follow the doctor's advice about eating well, exercising and taking your medication.

Studies of patients with a high burden of PVCs (that's more than 20% of their total heart beats) found that they had a higher incidence of arrhythmia-induced cardiomyopathy. Some patients may require a heart transplant.