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How a VC Can Affect Your Heart

Many people experience occasional PVCs without any problems. If they happen frequently, PVCs may weaken your heart and increase the risk for heart failure.

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

Causes

PVCs occur when the electrical impulse that typically begins your heartbeat in a part called the sinus node (also called the sinoatrial or SA node) isn't. The impulse actually begins in the ventricles, which causes an untimed heartbeat. These extra beats, called ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation, may feel like your heart skipped a beat or is like it's fluttering. They can occur infrequently and have no symptoms or they can happen often enough to affect your quality of life. Your doctor may prescribe medicine if they are frequent or cause dizziness, weakness or fatigue.

For most people, PVCs are harmless and do not increase the risk of heart disease or other health problems. A lot of PVCs however, may weaken your heart muscle over time. This is especially true if the PVCs result from conditions like dilated cardiomyopathy and arrhythmogenic right ventricle cardiomyopathy which can cause heart failure.

The symptoms of PVCs include a feeling that your heart beats faster or flutters, and you may feel exhausted. The fluttering could be more evident when you exercise or consume certain drinks or foods. People with chronic anxiety or stress may have more PVCs, and some drugs like amiodarone digoxin, and cocaine can increase the likelihood of developing them.

If you are experiencing occasional PVCs your doctor may suggest lifestyle changes and medication. If you experience frequent PVCs, your doctor may recommend that you avoid 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're experiencing lots of PVCs, he may suggest a medical treatment called radiofrequency catheter ablation, which destroys the cells that are responsible for PVCs. This is done by a specialist called an electrophysiologist. The treatment is generally effective in treating PVCs and reducing symptoms, but it does not stop them from returning in the future. In certain instances, it can increase the risk of developing atrial fibrillation (AFib), a condition that can cause stroke. It is not common however it could be life-threatening.

Signs and symptoms

Premature ventricular contractures, or PVCs can cause your heart to skip or to flutter. These extra heartbeats are harmless, however you might need to see your doctor when they occur frequently or if you experience symptoms like dizziness, or fatigue.

Normally, electrical signals start in the sinoatrial node, located in the upper right portion of the heart. They travel down to the lower chambers (or ventricles) which pump blood. The ventricles expand to push the blood into the lungs. They return to the center to begin the next cycle of pumping. A PVC begins in a different location, the Purkinje fibers are located in the left-hand side of the heart.

When PVCs occur, they cause the heart pound or feel like it skipped a beat. If you experience only a few episodes, and no other symptoms are present the cardiologist will likely not be able to treat you. But if you have a large number of PVCs the doctor may recommend an electrocardiogram, or ECG, to measure your heartbeat over the course of 24 hours. He or she might also recommend wearing a Holter monitor that will track your heartbeat over time to see how many PVCs you have.

People who have had a prior heart attack or have cardiomyopathy -which affects how the heart pumps blood must be aware of their PVCs and speak with a cardiologist about changes to their lifestyle. These include cutting down on caffeine, alcohol and smoking, managing stress and anxiety, as well as getting enough rest. A cardiologist might prescribe medications to slow the heartbeat, such as beta blockers.

If you experience frequent PVCs, even if you do not have any other symptoms, you should consult a cardiologist. These irregular heartbeats could indicate a problem with the structure of your heart or other health conditions, and over time, when they are frequent enough, they can weaken the heart muscle. Most people who suffer from PVCs do not experience any issues. They want to know if the fluttering heartbeats or skipping heartbeats is normal.

Diagnosis

PVCs may appear to be fluttering or skip heartbeats, especially when they're intense or frequent. People who experience them often may feel weak. They can also occur with training, even though many athletes who experience them don't have any problems with their health or heart. window doctor near me may show up in tests like an electrocardiogram (ECG) or Holter monitor. They use sticky patches with sensors that record electrical impulses coming from your heart. A cardiologist may also perform an echocardiogram, which uses ultrasound to examine the heart and see how it's working.

Most of the time, a doctor will be able to determine if a person is suffering from PVCs from a history and physical exam. Sometimes it is possible that they only notice PVCs when examining the patient for another reason such as following an accident or a surgery. Ambulatory ECG monitoring systems also assist in detecting PVCs and other arrhythmias and could be utilized if there's any concern of a cardiac condition.

If your cardiologist determines that your heart's structure is normal, reassurance is the only treatment required. If your symptoms are bothersome, or cause you to be anxious, avoiding alcohol, caffeine and over-the counter decongestants, and decreasing stress can help. Regular exercise and maintaining a healthy weight, and drinking enough fluids can aid in reducing the frequency of PVCs. If your symptoms persist or are severe, speak with your physician about possible treatments that could help control these symptoms.

Treatment

If PVCs do not cause any symptoms or happen rarely they aren't usually in need of treatment. If you have them often or frequently, your doctor may wish to examine for other heart conditions and recommend lifestyle changes or medications. You may also undergo an operation to rid yourself of them (called radiofrequency catheter ablation).

If you have PVCs the electrical signal that causes your heartbeat begins somewhere other than the sinoatrial node (SA node) in the top right part of your heart. This can make it feel like your heart skips beats or has a few extra beats. It's unclear what causes these symptoms, but they're frequent in those with other heart conditions. PVCs can increase in frequency as you age, and may occur more frequently during exercises.

If a patient experiences frequent and painful PVCs, a physician should conduct an ECG and an echocardiogram to rule out heart disease that is structural. They should also conduct an exercise stress test to determine whether the extra beats are caused by physical exercise. A heart catheterization or cardiac MRI or nuclear perfusion study can be done to look for other causes for the extra beats.

Most people who suffer from PVCs have no complications and live an ordinary life. But they can increase your risk of having dangerous heart rhythm issues especially if you are suffering from certain patterns of them. In some instances, this means that your heart muscle gets weaker and is unable to pump blood throughout your body.





A healthy, regular diet and a lot of exercise can reduce the chances of developing PVCs. You should avoid foods that are high in sodium and fat and restrict your intake of tobacco and caffeine. Sleep and stress are also important. Some medicines can also increase the risk of developing PVCs. If you are taking any of these medications it is essential that you follow the advice of your doctor about eating healthy, exercising, and taking your medication.

Studies of patients who had a high burden of PVCs (that's more than 20% of their total heart beats) found that they had a higher rate of arrhythmia-induced cardiomyopathy. Certain people may require an organ transplant.