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How a VC Can Affect Your Heart

PVCs are commonplace and can be experienced by a wide range of people without causing any problems. However, if they happen frequently, PVCs can weaken your heart muscle and increase your risk of heart failure.

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

Causes

PVCs occur by the electrical impulse that normally triggers your heartbeat at the Sinus Node (also known as the Sinoatrial or the SA node) is not initiated. Instead, the impulse begins in another area of your heart, the ventricles, and causes a mistimed beat. These extra beats, also known as ventricular tachycardia, or ventricular fibrillation, can feel like your heart skipped a beat, or it feels like it is like it is fluttering. They may happen rarely and not cause any symptoms, or they may occur frequently enough to affect your quality of life. Your doctor may prescribe medication if they are frequent or cause dizziness, weakness or fatigue.

PVCs are generally safe and do not increase your risk of heart disease. In time, repeated PVCs can weaken the heart muscle. This is particularly true if the PVCs are triggered by a condition like dilated cardiomyopathy and arrhythmogenic right-ventricular cardiomyopathy, which could lead to heart failure.

PVCs can trigger symptoms such as a feeling of your heart beating one beat, or even the feeling of your heart fluttering. You might also feel exhausted. The fluttering may be more apparent when you exercise, or consume certain beverages or foods. People with chronic anxiety or stress can have more PVCs and certain medications like amiodarone digoxin, and cocaine may increase the chance of developing them.

If you are experiencing occasional PVCs your doctor might suggest lifestyle changes and medication. If they are a frequent occurrence, you may have to stay clear of certain drinks and foods, such as alcohol and caffeine. You can also lessen stress by having enough sleep and exercising.

If you have many PVCs the doctor might suggest a medical procedure called radiofrequency catheter ablation. This destroys cells that cause PVCs. Electrophysiologists are the ones who carry out this procedure. It is generally successful in treating the PVCs and reducing symptoms however it does not stop them from recurring 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.

Symptoms

Premature ventricular contractions, also known as PVCs, can make your heart appear to skip or flutter one beat. These extra heartbeats are usually harmless, however, you should talk to your doctor when you experience frequent episodes or signs like dizziness or weakness.

Normally, electrical signals begin in the sinoatrial node, which is in the top right-hand side of the heart, and descend to the lower chambers (or ventricles) which pump blood. Then, the ventricles contract to propel blood into your lungs and then return to your heart and start the next cycle of pumping. However, a PVC starts at a different spot, from the bundle of fibers, known as the Purkinje fibers in the left-hand side of the heart.

When PVCs occur, they make the heart beat or feel as if it skipped one beat. If you have a few episodes and no other symptoms, your doctor probably won't be able to treat you. If you have many PVCs, your doctor may suggest that you undergo an electrocardiogram (ECG) to determine the heartbeat over the course of 24 hours. He or she may also recommend wearing a Holter monitor that will track your heartbeat over time, allowing you to see the number of PVCs you have.

People who have suffered a heart attack in the past or suffer from cardiomyopathy -which affects the way that the heart pumps blood - should take their PVCs seriously and speak with an expert in cardiology about lifestyle changes. This includes cutting down on caffeine, alcohol and smoking, reducing anxiety and stress, and getting enough rest. A cardiologist might prescribe medication to slow the heartbeat, for example, a beta blocker.

Even if there aren't any other indications it is still recommended to have PVCs examined by a cardiologist if they happen often. These extra heartbeats may indicate a problem in the structure of your heart or lungs and if they happen often enough, can weaken the heart muscle. However, most people with PVCs do not experience any issues. They want to know if the rapid heartbeats, or the skipping of heartbeats is normal.

Diagnosis

PVCs can 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 happen with exercising, but most athletes who experience them don't have issues with their heart or health. PVCs may show up in tests like an electrocardiogram, or Holter monitor. These use sticky patches with sensors on them to record electrical signals from your heart. A cardiologist could also employ an echocardiogram that uses ultrasound to study the heart and see how it's functioning.

A doctor may be able to identify if the patient is suffering from PVCs from a patient's history and physical exam. Sometimes however, they might only be able to detect PVCs when they examine the patient for another reason, like following an accident or surgery. Ambulatory ECG monitors are able to detect PVCs and other arrhythmias. They can be used to detect heart disease when there is a reason to be concerned.

If your cardiologist determines that your heart's structure is normal, reassurance will be the only remedy required. However, if your symptoms are bothersome or make you feel anxious, avoiding alcohol, caffeine and other decongestants as well as reducing stress levels can aid. Regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight and drinking enough fluids can help to reduce the frequency of PVCs. If the symptoms persist or are severe, speak with your physician about possible medication options to treat them.

Treatment

If PVCs don't cause symptoms or happen rarely, they usually don't need treatment. If you experience them frequently or frequently, your doctor may wish to check for other heart conditions and suggest lifestyle changes or medication. You may also undergo an operation to rid yourself of them (called radiofrequency catheter ablation).





If you have PVCs, the electrical signal that triggers your heartbeat begins somewhere other than the sinoatrial node (SA node) in the top right side of your heart. It can feel like your heart skips beats or is beating faster. It's unclear what causes these symptoms, but they're common in people who have other heart issues. PVCs may increase in frequency as you age, and may be more frequent during exercises.

A doctor should perform an ECG and an echocardiogram for a patient who has frequent and painful PVCs to identify structural heart conditions. The doctor will also perform an exercise stress test in order to determine if the increased heartbeats are related to physical exercise. A heart catheterization, cardiac MRI or nuclear perfusion study could be done to look for other reasons for the extra beats.

The majority of people with PVCs do not suffer from any complications and can lead an ordinary life. But they can increase your risk of having dangerous heart rhythm problems, especially if you have certain patterns of them. In some cases, this means that the heart muscle gets weaker and is unable to pump blood throughout your body.

Regular exercise and a balanced diet will reduce your chances of developing PVCs. Avoid foods high in fat and sodium and limit your consumption of caffeine and tobacco. You should also try to get enough rest and manage stress. Certain medications can increase your risk of PVCs. If window doctor are taking any of these medications, it is important to follow the advice of your doctor regarding healthy eating exercising, as well as taking your medication.

Studies of patients with an excessive amount of PVCs (that's more than 20% of their total heart beats) discovered that they had a higher rate of arrhythmia-induced cardiomyopathy. This can result in the need for a transplant in some people.