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How a VC Can Affect Your Heart

Many people experience occasional PVCs with no problems. If they occur often, PVCs may weaken your heart and increase your risk for heart failure.

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

Causes

PVCs happen by the electrical impulse that normally starts your heartbeat at the Sinus Node (also known as the Sinoatrial or the SA node) does not. Instead, the impulse starts in a different area of your heart, the ventricles, and causes a wrongly timed beat. These extra beats are known as ventricular tachycardia, and ventricular fibrillation. They may feel like the heart beats faster or feels fluttering. They may occur infrequently without causing any symptoms, but they can occur frequently enough to affect your quality of living. If they occur frequently or cause weakness, dizziness, or fatigue, your doctor could treat them with medication.

In most people, PVCs are harmless and aren't likely to increase your risk of heart disease or other health issues. In time, repeated PVCs can weaken the heart muscle. This is especially relevant if they are triggered by a heart condition such as dilated cardiomyopathy arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, which can lead to symptomatic heart failure.

The symptoms of PVCs include a feeling that your heart beats faster or it flutters. You may feel breathless. The fluttering could be more evident when you exercise or eat or drink certain beverages or foods. PVCs are more prevalent in people with chronic stress or anxiety. Some medications, like digoxin, amiodarone and cocaine, can increase the risk of developing PVCs.

If you experience occasional PVCs your doctor may recommend lifestyle changes and medications. If you have frequent PVCs, your doctor might suggest that you stay away from certain foods and drinks, such as caffeine and alcohol. You can also lower your stress by taking enough rest and exercising.

If you have a lot of PVCs, he may suggest a medical treatment called radiofrequency catheter ablation, which destroys the cells that are responsible for PVCs. Electrophysiologists are the ones who perform this procedure. It is generally effective in treating PVCs and reducing symptoms however it does not stop them from occurring in the future. In some cases it can increase the risk of having atrial fibrillation (AFib), an illness that can lead to stroke. It is not common but it could be life-threatening.

Symptoms

Premature ventricular contractions or PVCs may cause your heart to skip or be fluttering. These extra heartbeats are generally harmless, but it is important to consult your physician when you experience frequent episodes or symptoms like dizziness or weakness.

The normal electrical signals start in the sinoatrial, located in the upper right-hand part of the heart. They then move to the lower chambers, also known as ventricles, where blood pumps are located. The ventricles contract to pump blood into the lungs. They return to the center to start the next cycle of pumping. A PVC starts at a different spot in the Purkinje fibres bundle in the left-hand side of the heart.

When PVCs occur, they can make the heart pound or feel as if it skipped a beat. If you experience a few episodes and no other symptoms, your cardiologist probably won't treat you. But if you have a lot of PVCs the doctor may recommend an electrocardiogram, or ECG, to measure your heartbeat over 24 hours. They may also recommend wearing a Holter Monitor that records your heart rhythm and counts the number of PVCs.

People who have had a previous heart attack or suffer from cardiomyopathy -- a condition that alters the way the heart pumps blood -- should take their PVCs seriously and talk to a cardiologist about changes to their lifestyle. This includes avoiding caffeine, alcohol and smoking, managing stress and anxiety and getting enough rest. A cardiologist can prescribe beta blockers to slow the heartbeat.

Even if you don't have any other indications however, you should have PVCs checked by a cardiologist if they happen frequently. These irregular heartbeats could point to a problem with the structure of your heart or to other health conditions, and over time, when they happen frequently enough, they could weaken the heart muscle. But the majority of people suffering from PVCs do not experience any issues. They would like to know if rapid heartbeats, or the skipping of heartbeats is normal.

Diagnosis

PVCs can feel like heartbeats that are fluttering particularly if they're frequent and intense. People who experience them regularly may feel faint. Exercise can trigger them, but many athletes who experience them do not have heart or health issues. PVCs may show up in tests such as an electrocardiogram (ECG) or Holter monitor. These patches contain sensors that record electrical impulses from your heart. A cardiologist might also use an echocardiogram, which makes use of ultrasound to examine the heart and see how it's working.

A doctor will usually be able to determine whether a patient has PVCs by conducting a thorough examination and taking a medical history. However, sometimes they will only notice them while examining the patient for different reasons, like following an accident or surgery. Ambulatory ECG monitors can detect PVCs, as well as other arrhythmias. They are able to detect heart disease in the event of any concern.

If your cardiologist concludes that your heart is structurally normal, reassurance is the only treatment needed. However, if your symptoms are troubling or cause you to feel anxious, staying away from alcohol, caffeine and other decongestants and reducing stress can aid. Regular exercise, being at a healthy weight and drinking enough water can also reduce your episodes of PVCs. If your symptoms are persistent or extreme, consult your doctor about medication that may be able to reduce the symptoms.

Treatment

If PVCs are rare or do not cause symptoms, they rarely need treatment. If they occur frequently your doctor may want to check for heart conditions or recommend lifestyle adjustments. windows doctor could also undergo a procedure (called radiofrequency cathode ablation) to get rid of them.





If you have PVCs the electrical signal that triggers your heartbeat starts somewhere different than the sinoatrial nerve (SA node) located in the upper right part of your heart. This can cause your heart to feel like it skips a beating or has extra beats. It's not clear what causes them, but they're more frequent in those with other heart issues. PVCs may increase in frequency as you age, and they might occur more frequently during exercising.

A doctor should conduct an ECG along with an echocardiogram on a patient who suffers from frequent and painful PVCs to determine if there are structural heart problems. They will probably also do an exercise stress test to determine whether the extra beats are due to physical exercise. To find out if there are other causes for the extra beatings the heart catheterization or an MRI is possible.

The majority of people with PVCs are not affected and live a normal life. However, they can increase your risk of having dangerous heart rhythm problems especially if you are suffering from certain patterns of them. In some cases this means that the heart muscle gets weaker and it is more difficult to pump blood throughout the body.

A healthy, regular diet and regular exercise can help reduce your chances of developing PVCs. Avoid foods high in fat and sodium, and limit your intake of tobacco and caffeine. It is also important to get enough rest and reduce stress. Some medicines can also increase your risk of PVCs. If you take any of these medications it is essential that you follow your doctor's recommendations regarding eating a healthy diet exercising, as well as taking your medication.

In studies of patients suffering from PVC burdens that are excessive (more than 20% of heartbeats) there was a higher incidence of arrhythmia-induced myopathy in the heart was observed. This can lead to the need for a transplant in a few people.