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How a VC Can Affect Your Heart

PVCs are commonplace and can be experienced by many people without causing any problems. If they occur often, PVCs may weaken your heart and increase the risk for heart failure.

A bundle of fibers in the upper right part of your heart (the sinoatrial, or SA, node) typically regulates your heart's rhythm. Electrical signals are transmitted to the ventricles, or lower chambers of the heart.

Causes

PVCs occur when the electrical impulse which normally starts your heartbeat at the Sinus Node (also called the Sinoatrial or the SA node) does not. Instead, the impulse begins in a different area of your heart--the ventricles--and causes a wrongly timed beat. These extra beats, also called ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation, can feel like your heart skipped a beat, or it feels like it is like it is fluttering. They may occur infrequently and not cause any symptoms, but they can also happen frequently enough to impact your quality of life. Your doctor may prescribe medication when they occur frequently or cause weakness, dizziness or fatigue.

For most people, PVCs are harmless and aren't likely to increase your risk of developing heart disease or other health issues. A lot of PVCs however, could weaken your heart muscle over time. This is particularly relevant if the PVCs are caused by an illness like dilated Cardiomyopathy and arrhythmogenic right ventricle cardiomyopathy that can cause heart failure.

PVCs can trigger symptoms such as a feeling of your heart skipping an beat, or the feeling of your heart fluttering. You might also feel exhausted. The fluttering may be more noticeable when you exercise or consume certain foods or drinks. PVCs are more common in those suffering from chronic anxiety or stress. Certain drugs, like digoxin, amiodarone or cocaine, can increase their risk.

If you experience occasional PVCs your doctor might suggest lifestyle changes and medications. If you experience frequent PVCs, your doctor might recommend that you avoid certain drinks and foods, such as caffeine and alcohol. You can also take steps to lessen your stress, and make sure you get enough sleep and exercise.

If you have a lot of PVCs, your doctor may recommend a medical procedure referred to as radiofrequency catheter ablation. This procedure eliminates the cells that are responsible for them. Electrophysiologists are the ones who carry out this procedure. It is usually effective in treating PVCs and reducing symptoms, however it does not stop them from occurring in the future. In certain instances, it can increase the risk of having atrial fibrillation (AFib), a condition that can result in stroke. It is not common, but it could be life-threatening.

Signs and symptoms

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

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

When PVCs occur they can make the heart appear to be skipping a beat or pounding. If you have only just a few episodes and there are no other symptoms, your cardiologist will probably not prescribe treatment. If you have many PVCs the doctor may recommend that you undergo an electrocardiogram (ECG) to measure the heartbeat for 24 hours. The doctor may also suggest wearing a Holter Monitor which tracks your heartbeat and tracks the number of PVCs.

People who have suffered a previous heart attack or cardiomyopathy, an illness that affects the way the heart pumps blood - should take their PVCs very seriously and consult a cardiologist regarding lifestyle modifications. These include avoiding alcohol, caffeine and smoking, managing anxiety and stress, and getting enough rest. windows doctor can prescribe beta blockers to slow down the heartbeat.

If you experience frequent PVCs, even if you don't have any other symptoms you should see an expert in cardiology. These heartbeats that are irregular could be a sign of a problem with the structure of your heart or lungs and if they occur frequently enough, it could weaken your heart muscle. But most people with PVCs do not experience any issues. They just want to know that the fluttering or racing heartbeats aren't normal.

Diagnosis

PVCs may feel like heartbeats that are fluttering, particularly if they're frequent and intense. People who experience them regularly might feel faint. Exercise can trigger PVCs, but a lot of athletes who experience these symptoms do not have heart or health problems. PVCs may show up on tests such as an electrocardiogram or Holter monitor. They have sensors that record electrical impulses from your heart. A cardiologist could also employ an echocardiogram, which uses ultrasound to look at the heart and observe how it's working.

A doctor is often able to tell if a patient has PVCs by examining them and taking their medical history. Sometimes, they may only be able to detect them when they examine the patient for different reasons, like following an accident or surgery. Ambulatory ECG monitoring systems can also aid in detecting PVCs and other arrhythmias, and they might be used if there's any concern of cardiac disease.

If your cardiologist concludes that your heart is structurally healthy, reassurance may be all you need. However, if your symptoms are causing discomfort or cause you to feel anxious, staying away from alcohol, caffeine, and other decongestants and reducing stress can aid. Getting regular exercise, staying at a healthy weight, and drinking enough water can reduce your episodes of PVCs. If your symptoms persist or severe, talk to your doctor about medication that could be able to control them.

Treatment

If PVCs don't cause symptoms or are not frequent generally, they don't require treatment. If you have them often or frequently, your doctor may wish to check for other heart issues and recommend lifestyle changes or medication. You could also have an operation (called radiofrequency cathode ablation) to get rid them.

If you have PVCs in your heart the electrical signal that creates your heartbeat is located outside of the sinoatrial (SA) node that is located in the upper right-hand corner of your heart. This can cause your heart to feel like it skips beats or has extra beats. It's not clear what causes these, but they're more frequent in those with other heart issues. PVCs may increase in frequency as you age, and they may be more frequent during exercise.





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

The majority of people with PVCs have no complications and can live the normal life. However, they may increase your risk of having dangerous heart rhythm issues especially if you are suffering from certain patterns of them. In some cases, that means that your heart muscle gets weaker and has trouble pumping blood throughout your body.

A regular, healthy diet and a lot of exercise can help reduce your risk of developing PVCs. Avoid foods high in fat and sodium and limit your consumption of caffeine and tobacco. Also, you should try to sleep enough and reduce stress. Certain medications can increase the risk of getting PVCs. If you are taking one of these drugs, it's important to follow the doctor's advice about a healthy diet, exercise and taking your medication.

In studies of patients with high PVC burdens (more than 20% of heartbeats) the higher rate of arrhythmia-induced myopathy in the heart was observed. Some people may need an organ transplant.