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How a VC Can Affect Your Heart

Many people have occasional PVCs without any problems. But if they occur frequently, PVCs can weaken your heart muscle and increase your risk of heart failure.

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

Causes

PVCs are caused when the electrical impulse which normally starts your heartbeat at the Sinus Node (also known as the Sinoatrial or SA node) is not initiated. Instead, the impulse begins in another area of your heart called the ventricles and triggers a wrongly timed beat. These extra beats, also known as ventricular tachycardia, or ventricular fibrillation, could feel as if your heart skipped a beat or feels like it is fluttering. the window doctor may occur infrequently, causing no symptoms, but they may occur frequently enough to affect your quality of living. If they occur frequently or cause dizziness, weakness, or fatigue, your doctor could treat them with medication.

PVCs are generally safe and do not increase your risk of heart disease. Regular PVCs, however, can weaken your heart muscle over time. This is particularly relevant if they are triggered by a heart disease like dilated cardiomyopathy, or arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy which may lead to symptomatic heart failure.

PVCs can cause symptoms like a feeling of your heart racing a beat, or fluttering. You may also feel breathless. The fluttering may be more noticeable when you exercise or consume certain drinks or food items. People with chronic anxiety or stress can have more PVCs and certain drugs like amiodarone digoxin and cocaine can increase the likelihood of developing them.

If you are experiencing occasional PVCs your doctor might suggest lifestyle changes and medication. If they are a regular occurrence, you may have to avoid certain foods and beverages, such as alcohol and caffeine. You can also reduce your stress and make sure you get enough sleep and exercise.

If you have a lot of PVCs, your doctor may recommend a medical procedure referred to as radiofrequency catheter ablation, which eliminates the cells that are responsible for them. Electrophysiologists are the ones who perform this procedure. It is generally effective in treating PVCs and reducing symptoms, but it doesn't stop them from occurring in the future. In certain cases, it may increase the risk of atrial fibrillation (AFib) which is which can result in stroke. It is not common, but it could be life-threatening.

Signs and symptoms

Premature ventricular contractions, also known as PVCs, may make your heart seem to skip or flutter a beat. These heartbeats that are not normal can be harmless, however you might be advised to consult your physician if they are frequent or if you notice symptoms like dizziness, or fatigue.

Normaly, electrical signals begin in the sinoatrial area, which is located in the upper right-hand part of the heart. They then travel to the lower chambers, also known as ventricles, that pump blood. The ventricles contract to pump blood into the lungs. They return to the center to begin the next cycle of pumping. A PVC begins in a different place that is the Purkinje fibers are located in the left side of the heart.

When PVCs occur, they cause the heart pound or feel like it skipped a beat. If you have only a few episodes, but no other symptoms, your doctor probably won't be able to treat you. However, if you have number of PVCs and you have other symptoms, your doctor might recommend an electrocardiogram, also known as an ECG to gauge the heart's rate over 24 hours. They may also suggest wearing a Holter Monitor which tracks your heartbeat and tracks the number of PVCs.

Anyone who has had a prior heart attack or have cardiomyopathy -- a condition that affects the way that the heart pumps blood must be aware of their PVCs and talk to a cardiologist about changes to their lifestyle. Those include avoiding caffeine, alcohol and smoking, reducing anxiety and stress and getting enough rest. A cardiologist may prescribe beta blockers to slow the heartbeat.

Even if there aren't any other signs however, you should have PVCs checked by an expert in cardiology if they occur frequently. These extra heartbeats may indicate a problem in the structure of your heart or lungs, and if they happen often enough, it could weaken your heart muscle. The majority of people with PVCs don't experience any problems. They want to know if the rapid heartbeats, or the skipping of heartbeats is normal.





Diagnosis

PVCs can feel like fluttering or skipped heartbeats, particularly when they're intense or frequent. People who experience them frequently might feel faint. They can also occur during training, even though many athletes who suffer from them don't have any problems with their heart or health. PVCs could show up in tests like an electrocardiogram (ECG) or Holter monitor. They have sensors that record electrical impulses from your heart. A cardiologist can also perform an ultrasound echocardiogram to study the heart.

Most of the time, a doctor will be able to identify if a person is suffering from PVCs from a patient's history and physical examination. Sometimes, however, they may only notice PVCs when examining patients for a different reason such as following an accident or a surgery. Ambulatory ECG monitoring systems can also aid in detecting PVCs and other arrhythmias and can be used when there is a concern of a cardiac condition.

If your cardiologist concludes that your heart is structurally healthy, reassurance might be all that's needed. If your symptoms are troubling or cause you to feel anxious, avoiding caffeine, alcohol and over-the-counter decongestants and reducing stress can help. Engaging in regular exercise, keeping at a healthy weight, and drinking enough fluids can help reduce the frequency of PVCs. If you are experiencing symptoms that are persistent or extreme, consult your physician about the medications that could be able to manage the symptoms.

Treatment

If PVCs aren't common or don't cause symptoms, they rarely need treatment. If they occur frequently your doctor may be able to look for heart issues or suggest lifestyle changes. You could also undergo a procedure (called radiofrequency cathode ablation) to eliminate them.

If you have PVCs in your heart, the electrical signal which creates your heartbeat is located other than at the sinoatrial (SA) node located in the upper right-hand corner of your heart. It can feel like your heart skips beats or has extra beats. It's unclear what causes these, but they're more frequent in those with other heart problems. PVCs may increase in frequency as you age, and may occur more frequently during exercises.

If a patient is experiencing frequent and painful PVCs doctors should conduct an ECG and an echocardiogram to rule out heart disease that is structural. The doctor may also conduct an exercise stress test in order to determine if the extra heartbeats are due to physical exercise. To find out if there are other causes for the increased beats, a heart catheterization or a cardiac MRI is possible.

The majority of people with PVCs do not suffer from any problems and can enjoy a normal lifestyle. However, they may increase the risk of developing dangerous heart rhythm problems particularly if you have certain patterns of them. In some cases this means that the heart muscle becomes weaker and is unable to pump blood throughout your body.

A healthy and balanced diet and regular exercise can reduce the chances of developing PVCs. Avoid foods high in fat and sodium and limit your consumption of caffeine and tobacco. Sleep and stress are also crucial. Certain medications can increase the risk of developing PVCs. If you are taking any of these medications it is crucial to follow your doctor's advice regarding eating a healthy diet, exercising, and taking your medication.

In studies of patients suffering from high PVC burdens (more than 20% of the total heartbeats), a higher rate arrhythmia-induced cardiac myopathy was found. This can result in a need for a heart transplant in certain patients.