How a VC Can Affect Your Heart

PVCs are common and can be experienced by many people with no cause for concern. If they occur regularly, PVCs can weaken your heart muscle and increase the risk of heart failure.

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

Causes

PVCs happen when the electrical impulse which normally triggers your heartbeat at the Sinus Node (also known as the Sinoatrial or SA node) does not. Instead, the impulse starts in another area of your heart, the ventricles, and causes an untimed beat. These extra beats, called ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation, may feel like your heart skipped a beat or is fluttering. They may occur infrequently and not cause any symptoms, but they can be frequent enough to impact your quality of living. If they are very frequent or cause weakness, dizziness, or fatigue, your doctor may treat them with medicine.

PVCs are generally harmless and do not increase your risk of heart disease. Over time, frequent PVCs can weaken the heart muscle. This is particularly when the PVCs are triggered by a condition like dilated cardiomyopathy and arrhythmogenic right ventricle cardiomyopathy that could lead to heart failure.

The symptoms of PVCs include a feeling that your heart skips a beat or is fluttering, and you feel exhausted. The fluttering can be more evident when you exercise or have certain foods or drinks. PVCs are more common in people with chronic stress or anxiety. Certain drugs, like digoxin, amiodarone and cocaine, Window Weatherstripping can also increase the risk.

If you have occasional PVCs Your doctor may recommend lifestyle changes and medicines. If you are prone to frequent PVCs, your doctor might recommend avoiding certain foods and drinks, like caffeine and alcohol. You can also reduce your stress levels by having enough sleep and exercising.

If you have many PVCs The doctor may recommend a medical treatment known as radiofrequency catheter ablation. This destroys cells that cause PVCs. This is done by a specialist known as an electrophysiologist. The treatment is generally successful in treating PVCs, reducing symptoms but does not prevent them from recurring in the future. In some cases it can increase the risk of developing atrial fibrillation (AFib) which is which can lead to stroke. This is rare but can be life-threatening.

Signs and symptoms

Premature ventricular contractions, or PVCs can cause your heart to skip or be fluttering. These heartbeats can be harmless, however, you should consult your physician if you have frequent episodes or signs like dizziness or weakness.

Normally, electrical signals begin in the sinoatrial node located in the upper right portion of the heart. These signals travel down to the lower chambers (or ventricles) which pump blood. The ventricles then contract to propel the blood into the lungs, and then return to the heart to start the next pumping cycle. However, a PVC begins at a different spot that is separate from the bundle of fibers called the Purkinje fibers in the bottom left portion of the heart.

When PVCs occur, they make the heart pound or feel as if it skipped one beat. If you have only a few episodes, but no other symptoms, your doctor will probably not treat you. If you have a lot of PVCs and your doctor might recommend that you undergo an electrocardiogram (ECG) to measure the heartbeat for a period of 24 hours. They may also suggest wearing a Holter Monitor that records your heartbeat and tracks the number of PVCs.

People who have had a prior heart attack or have cardiomyopathy -an illness that affects how the heart pumps blood- should be aware of their PVCs and talk to a cardiologist about lifestyle changes. This includes avoiding caffeine, alcohol and smoking, managing anxiety and stress, and getting enough rest. A cardiologist may prescribe beta blockers to slow down the heartbeat.

Even if you don't experience any other indications however, you should have PVCs examined by a cardiologist if they happen frequently. These heartbeats that are irregular can be a sign of problems with the structure of your heart or other health issues, and over time, when they are frequent enough, they can weaken the heart muscle. However, most people with PVCs don't experience any problems. They simply want to know that the fluttering or racing heartbeats aren't normal.

Diagnosis

PVCs can feel like heartbeats that flutter, especially if they are frequent and intense. People who get lots of them might feel like they're going to faint. Exercise can trigger PVCs, but a lot of athletes who experience these symptoms do not have heart or health issues. PVCs may show up in tests like an electrocardiogram (ECG) or Holter monitor. These are sticky patches that have sensors to record electrical signals from your heart. A cardiologist can also perform an ultrasound echocardiogram to examine the heart.

Most of the time, a doctor will be able to identify if the patient is suffering from PVCs from a history and physical exam. However, sometimes they will only notice them while examining the patient for other reasons, for instance after a surgery or accident. Ambulatory ECG monitors can detect PVCs, as well as other arrhythmias. They are able to detect cardiac disease in the event of any reason to be concerned.

If your cardiologist determines your heart is structurally healthy, reassurance might be all you need. If your symptoms are troubling or cause you to feel anxious, staying away from caffeine, alcohol and over-the-counter decongestants and reducing stress can help. Regular exercise, being at a healthy weight, and drinking enough fluids can reduce your episodes of PVCs. If your symptoms are persistent or severe, talk to your doctor about medication that could help reduce the symptoms.

Treatment

If PVCs aren't common or don't cause symptoms, they don't usually require treatment. If you are frequently affected, your doctor may want to examine for other heart issues and Childproof window Repair recommend lifestyle changes or medication. You could also undergo a procedure (called radiofrequency cathode ablation) to get rid them.

When you have PVCs the electrical signal that triggers your heartbeat is generated from a place outside of the sinoatrial node (SA node) in the top right corner of your heart. This can cause your heart to feel like it skips a beating or has extra beats. It's unclear what causes them, but they're more common in people with other heart issues. PVCs may increase in frequency with age and might happen more frequently during exercise.

If a patient has frequent and painful PVCs doctors should conduct an ECG and an echocardiogram to rule out heart disease that is structural. The doctor will also perform an exercise stress test in order to determine if the additional heartbeats are related to physical exercise. To find out whether there are other reasons for the extra beats an invasive heart catheterization or a cardiac MRI can be performed.

Most people with PVCs do not have any issues and 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 instances, this means that the heart muscle becomes weaker and is having difficulty pumping blood through your body.

A healthy and balanced diet and plenty of exercise can reduce the risk of developing PVCs. Avoid foods that are high in fat and sodium and limit your consumption of tobacco and caffeine. It is also important to get enough rest and manage stress. Some medicines can also increase the risk of developing PVCs. So if you take one of these medicines, it's important to follow the doctor's advice about a healthy diet, exercise 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. Some people may need an organ transplant.