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How a VC Can Affect Your Heart

A lot of people experience occasional PVCs and have no issues. If they happen frequently, PVCs may weaken your heart and increase your risk for heart failure.





The heart's rhythm is usually controlled by a group of nerve fibers situated in the upper right part of your heart. This is known as the sinoatrial node, or SA. Electrical signals are transmitted to the ventricles or lower chambers of your heart.

Causes

PVCs happen when the electrical impulse that usually starts your heartbeat in a part called the sinus node (also known as the sinoatrial node or SA node) does not. The impulse actually begins in the ventricles, which causes a mistimed heartbeat. These extra beats are also known as ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation. They may feel like the heart skipped a beat or feels like it is fluttering. They can happen infrequently and cause no symptoms, or they can occur frequently enough to interfere with your quality of life. If they happen frequently or cause dizziness, weakness, or fatigue, your doctor might treat them with medicine.

PVCs are generally harmless and don't increase your risk of heart disease. Over time, repeated PVCs can weaken the heart muscle. This is especially 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 cause symptoms like a feeling of your heart beating an beat, or fluttering. You may also feel breathless. The fluttering could be more evident when you exercise or have certain foods or drinks. People with chronic anxiety or stress can have more PVCs, and some drugs like amiodarone digoxin, and cocaine may increase the risk of developing them.

If you are experiencing occasional PVCs your doctor may suggest lifestyle changes and medication. If you are prone to frequent PVCs, your doctor may recommend avoiding certain foods and drinks, such as caffeine and alcohol. You can also reduce your stress levels by getting enough sleep and working out.

If you have many PVCs Your doctor may suggest a medical procedure called radiofrequency catheter ablation. It eliminates the cells that are responsible for them. This is done by a specialist known as an electrophysiologist. It is typically effective in treating PVCs and reducing symptoms but it doesn't stop them from recurring in the future. In certain cases, it may increase the risk of atrial fibrillation (AFib) which is an illness that can result in stroke. This is rare but can be life-threatening.

Symptoms

Premature ventricular contractions, also known as PVCs, may make your heart seem to skip or flutter one beat. These extra heartbeats can be harmless, but you might need to see your doctor if they are frequent or if you notice symptoms like dizziness, or fatigue.

The electrical signals normally begin in the sinoatrial, located in the upper right-hand corner of the heart. They then travel to the lower chambers, also known as ventricles, which pump blood. The ventricles contract to propel the blood into your lungs, and then return to the heart to begin the next cycle of pumping. But a PVC begins in a different location, from the bundle of fibers called the Purkinje fibers in the lower left part of the heart.

When PVCs occur, they can make the heart beat faster or feel as if it skipped a beat. If you only have a few episodes, and no other symptoms are present, your cardiologist will probably not treat you. However, if you have large number of PVCs and you have other symptoms, your doctor might recommend an electrocardiogram, also known as an ECG, to measure the heart's rate over a 24-hour period. They may also suggest wearing a Holter Monitor that records your heartbeat and tracks the number of PVCs.

If you've had previously from a heart attack or cardiomyopathy, a condition which affects the method by which the heart pumps blood - should take their PVCs very seriously and consult a cardiologist about lifestyle modifications. This includes avoiding caffeine, alcohol and smoking, reducing stress and anxiety and getting enough sleep. A cardiologist may prescribe beta blockers to slow down the heartbeat.

Even if you don't have any other symptoms it is still recommended to have PVCs examined by an cardiologist if they occur frequently. These heartbeats that are irregular could indicate a problem in the structure of your heart or lungs, and if they occur often enough, it could weaken the heart muscle. The majority of people with PVCs do not experience any issues. They just want to be aware that the fluttering and skippy heartbeats aren't typical.

Diagnosis

PVCs can feel like heartbeats that are fluttering especially if they are frequent and intense. People who experience a lot of them might feel like they're about to faint. They can also happen with exercise, though many athletes who experience them don't have any problems in their heart or health. PVCs may show up on tests such as an electrocardiogram or a Holter monitor. These are sticky patches that have sensors that record electrical signals from your heart. A cardiologist could also employ an ultrasound echocardiogram for examining the heart.

A doctor will usually be able to determine the presence of PVCs by examining them and taking their medical history. But sometimes they might only notice them while examining the patient for other reasons, for instance following an accident or surgery. Ambulatory ECG monitors can detect PVCs and other arrhythmias. They are able to detect heart disease when there is a concern.

If your cardiologist has determined that your heart is structurally healthy, reassurance might be all you need. If your symptoms are causing you discomfort, or cause you to be anxious, avoiding alcohol, caffeine and other over the counter decongestants, and decreasing stress can help. Regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, and drinking enough fluids can all help reduce the frequency of PVCs. If your symptoms persist or extreme, consult your doctor about medications that could be able to reduce the symptoms.

Treatment

If PVCs don't cause symptoms or are not frequent, they usually don't need treatment. If you experience them frequently and frequently, your doctor might want to look for other heart issues and suggest lifestyle changes or medication. You could also undergo an operation (called radiofrequency cathode ablation) to eliminate of them.

If you have PVCs in your heart the electrical signal that creates your heartbeat is located other than at the sinoatrial (SA) node that is located in the upper right corner of your heart. It can feel like your heart skips a beat or has a few extra beats. PVCs are more prevalent among people with heart problems however, it's not clear the reason behind them. PVCs can become more frequent as you age, and they might occur more frequently during exercise.

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

Most people with PVCs have no complications and can live a normal life. However, they may increase your risk of having dangerous heart rhythm problems particularly if you have certain patterns of them. In some cases, that means that your heart muscle gets weaker and is having difficulty pumping blood through your body.

A regular, healthy diet and a lot of exercise can reduce your chances of developing PVCs. window doctor near me should avoid foods that are high in sodium and fat and limit caffeine and tobacco. Sleep and stress are equally crucial. Some medicines can also increase the risk of getting PVCs. If you're taking one of these drugs, it's important to follow the doctor's advice about eating well, exercising and taking your medication.

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