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How a VC Can Affect Your Heart

Many people experience occasional PVCs and have no issues. But if they occur frequently, PVCs can weaken your heart muscle and increase your risk of heart failure.

The rhythm of your heart is controlled by a bundle of nerve fibers situated in the upper right-hand corner of your heart. This is known as the sinoatrial node, or SA. Electrical signals travel to ventricles or lower chambers of your heart.

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. The impulse actually begins in the ventricles, which causes an untimed heartbeat. These extra beats, known as ventricular tachycardia, or ventricular fibrillation, could feel as if your heart skipped a beat or feels fluttering. They can occur infrequently and have no symptoms or they may occur frequently enough to affect your daily life. If they occur frequently or cause weakness, dizziness, or fatigue, your doctor could treat them with medicine.

For the majority of people, PVCs are harmless and do not increase the risk of developing heart disease or other health problems. Regular PVCs however, could weaken your heart muscle over time. This is particularly relevant if the PVCs result from a condition like dilated cardiomyopathy and arrhythmogenic right ventricle cardiomyopathy that could lead to heart failure.

PVCs can trigger symptoms, such as a sensation of your heart racing one beat, or even fluttering. You may also feel breathless. The fluttering could be more evident when you exercise or have certain drinks or food items. People who suffer from chronic stress or anxiety can have more PVCs, and some medications such as amiodarone, digoxin, and cocaine may increase the chance of developing them.

If you are experiencing occasional PVCs, your doctor may suggest lifestyle changes and medication. If they are a frequent occurrence, you may need to stay clear of certain drinks and foods like alcohol and caffeine. You can also lower your stress by getting enough sleep and working out.

If you have many PVCs Your doctor might recommend a medical procedure referred to as radiofrequency catheter ablation, which destroys the cells that cause them. Electrophysiologists are the ones who perform this procedure. The treatment is usually successful in treating PVCs which reduce symptoms, but does not prevent them from becoming recurring in the future. In certain cases, it may increase the risk of developing atrial fibrillation (AFib) which is an illness that can lead to stroke. This is rare but it could be life-threatening.

Symptoms

Premature ventricular contracts PVCs, also known as PVCs, can cause your heart to skip or to flutter. These heartbeats can be harmless, however, you should consult your physician if you have frequent episodes or other symptoms such as dizziness or weakness.

Normally, electrical signals start at the sinoatrial junction, located in the top right portion of the heart, and travel down to the lower chambers (or ventricles) that pump blood. The ventricles contract to propel blood into the lungs, and then return to the heart to start the next cycle of pumping. A PVC starts in a different location, the Purkinje fibres bundle at the left-hand side of the heart.





When PVCs occur, they cause the heart beat faster or feel as if it skipped a beat. If you've experienced a few episodes and no other symptoms, the doctor will probably not treat you. If you have a lot of PVCs the doctor may suggest you undergo an electrocardiogram (ECG) to monitor your heartbeat over the course of 24 hours. The doctor may also recommend wearing a Holter monitor that records your heartbeat over time to see the number of PVCs you have.

People who have suffered a heart attack in the past or suffer from cardiomyopathy -- a condition that affects how the heart pumps blood -- should take their PVCs seriously and speak with a cardiologist about lifestyle changes. These include cutting down on caffeine, alcohol and smoking, reducing anxiety and stress, and getting enough rest. A cardiologist may prescribe medication to slow heartbeat, like beta blockers.

If you have frequent PVCs, even if you do not have any other signs, you should see an expert in cardiology. These extra heartbeats can be a sign of problems with the structure of your heart or to other health conditions and, over time, if they occur often enough, they may weaken the heart muscle. However, most people with PVCs do not experience any issues. They want to know if the irregular heartbeats or fluttering is normal.

Diagnosis

PVCs can feel like heartbeats that are fluttering particularly if they're frequent and intense. People who experience them often may feel weak. They can also occur with exercising, but most athletes who get them don't have any problems with their health or heart. PVCs could show up in tests such as an electrocardiogram (ECG) or Holter monitor. These are sticky patches that have sensors on them to record electrical impulses from your heart. A cardiologist may also perform an echocardiogram, which makes use of ultrasound to look at the heart and see how it's functioning.

A doctor can often tell if a patient has PVCs by looking at them and taking a medical history. Sometimes it is possible that they only be able to detect PVCs when they examine a patient for another reason such as following an accident or a surgery. Ambulatory ECG monitors can detect PVCs as well as other arrhythmias. They may be used to detect cardiac disease if there is any reason to be concerned.

If your cardiologist has determined that your heart is structurally healthy, reassurance might be all you need. If the window doctor are troubling, or cause you to feel anxious, staying away from alcohol, caffeine and over-the drug decongestants and the reduction of stress could help. Getting regular exercise, staying at a healthy weight and drinking enough water can decrease the likelihood of PVCs. If your symptoms persist or extreme, consult your doctor about medication that could help control them.

Treatment

If PVCs are rare or do not cause symptoms, they do not usually need treatment. If you are frequently affected or frequently, your doctor may wish to examine for other heart conditions and suggest lifestyle changes or medications. You might also get an intervention to get rid of them (called radiofrequency catheter ablation).

If you have PVCs in your heart the electrical signal that creates your heartbeat is located outside of the sinoatrial (SA) node, which is located in the upper right corner of your heart. This can cause your heart to feel like it skips a beating or has extra beats. PVCs are more frequent among those who suffer from heart issues however it's unclear what causes them. PVCs are more frequent as you age, and may occur more often during exercise.

A physician should perform an ECG as well as an echocardiogram on a patient that has frequent and painful PVCs to identify structural heart conditions. They should also conduct an exercise stress test to determine whether the extra beats are due to physical activity. To find out whether there are other reasons for the extra beats the heart catheterization or an MRI can be performed.

The majority of people who suffer from PVCs do not have any issues and can live the normal life. They can increase the risk of developing dangerous heart rhythm disorders particularly if they happen in certain patterns. In certain cases, it means that your heart muscle gets weaker and is unable to pump blood through your body.

A healthy and balanced diet and a lot of exercise can reduce your chances of developing PVCs. Avoid foods high in fat and sodium and limit your intake of tobacco and caffeine. Sleep and stress are also important. Certain medicines can also increase your risk of PVCs. If you're taking one of these medicines it is important to follow your doctor's recommendations about eating well, exercising and taking your medication.

In studies of patients with PVC burdens that are high (more than 20% of the total heartbeats), a higher rate arrhythmia-induced cardiac myopathy was discovered. This can lead to a need for a heart transplant in certain people.