How a VC Can Affect Your Heart
PVCs are commonplace and can be experienced by many people with no cause for concern. However, if they happen frequently, PVCs can weaken your heart muscle and increase the risk of heart failure.
A bundle of fibers located in the upper right part of your heart (the sinoatrial, or SA, node) usually controls your heart's rhythm. Electrical signals are transmitted from there 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 the SA node) is not initiated. The impulse actually begins in the ventricles, causing a mistimed heartbeat. These extra beats, known as ventricular tachycardia, or ventricular fibrillation, could feel as if your heart skipped a beat or feels like it is fluttering. They may happen rarely and not cause any symptoms, or they can occur frequently enough to impact your quality of life. Your doctor may prescribe medication in the event that they are frequent or cause dizziness, weakness or fatigue.
PVCs are generally harmless and don't increase your risk of developing heart disease. Over time, repeated PVCs can weaken the heart muscle. This is especially the case if they are caused by a heart-related condition such as dilated cardiomyopathy or arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, which may lead to symptomatic heart failure.
The signs of PVCs include a feeling that your heart beats faster or it flutters. You may feel exhausted. The fluttering may be more noticeable if you exercise, or consume certain foods or beverages. PVCs are more common in those suffering from chronic stress or anxiety. Some medications, such as 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 may suggest that you stay away from certain foods and drinks such as caffeine and alcohol. You can also take steps to reduce your stress levels, and take advantage of plenty of rest and exercise.
If you have lots of PVCs The doctor may suggest a medical procedure called radiofrequency catheter ablation. It eliminates the cells that cause PVCs. This is done by a specialist known as an electrophysiologist. It is usually successful in treating the 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), a condition that can result in stroke. This isn't common, but it can be life-threatening.
Signs and symptoms
Premature ventricular contracts or PVCs may cause your heart to skip or flutter. These extra heartbeats can be harmless, however you might need to see your doctor when they occur frequently or if you notice symptoms like dizziness, or fatigue.
Normaly, electrical signals begin in the sinoatrial region, which is in the upper right part of the heart. They then travel to the lower chambers, also known as ventricles, that pump blood. The ventricles expand to push blood into your lungs, and then return to your heart to start the next cycle of pumping. door and window doctor begins at a different spot that is the Purkinje fibres bundle at the left side of the heart.
When PVCs occur, they make the heart pound or feel like it skipped one beat. If you experience just a few episodes but no other symptoms, the doctor will probably not treat you. If you've got a lot of PVCs and your doctor might suggest you undergo an electrocardiogram (ECG) to determine the heartbeat over the course of 24 hours. The doctor may also recommend wearing a Holter Monitor, which records the heart's rhythm and count the number of PVCs.
Anyone who has suffered an earlier heart attack or cardiomyopathy, an illness that affects the method by which the heart pumps blood - should take their PVCs very seriously and consult a cardiologist about lifestyle changes. Those include avoiding caffeine, alcohol and smoking, managing anxiety and stress, and getting enough sleep. A cardiologist may also prescribe medication to slow the heartbeat, like beta blockers.
Even if you don't experience any other symptoms however, you should have PVCs checked by a cardiologist if they happen often. These heartbeats that are irregular can point to a problem with the structure of your heart or other health issues and, over time when they are frequent enough, they may weaken the heart muscle. However, most people with PVCs don't have any issues. They simply want to be aware that the fluttering and skippy heartbeats aren't typical.
Diagnosis
PVCs can be akin to heartbeats that are fluttering especially if they are frequent and intense. Patients who have a lot of them may feel they're going to faint. Exercise can cause them, but most athletes who suffer from them have no heart or health issues. PVCs could show up in tests like an electrocardiogram (ECG) or Holter monitor. They have sensors that record electrical impulses from your heart. A cardiologist could also employ an ultrasound echocardiogram for examining the heart.
Most of the time, a doctor will be able to determine if a person is suffering from PVCs through a medical history and physical exam. Sometimes, they may only be able to detect them when they examine the patient for other reasons, such as after a surgery or accident. Ambulatory ECG monitoring systems can also help detect PVCs and other arrhythmias, and can be used if there's any concern of heart disease.
If your cardiologist determines that your heart is structurally normal, reassurance will be the only treatment needed. However, if your symptoms are troubling or make you feel anxious, staying away from caffeine, alcohol and over-the-counter decongestants and reducing stress can aid. Regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight and drinking enough fluids can help reduce the frequency of PVCs. If the symptoms persist or are severe, talk to your doctor about medication options to treat them.
Treatment
If PVCs do not cause any symptoms or are not frequent, they usually don't need treatment. If you experience them frequently and frequently, your doctor might want to examine for any other heart problems and suggest lifestyle changes or medicine. You could also have a procedure to get rid of them (called radiofrequency catheter ablation).
If you suffer from PVCs, the electrical signal that triggers your heartbeat is generated from a place different than the sinoatrial nerve (SA node) located in the upper right side of your heart. This could cause it to feel like your heart skips a beat or has a few extra beats. It's not clear what causes them, but they're more common in people who have other heart problems. PVCs may increase in frequency as you age, and they could be more frequent during exercise.
If a patient is experiencing frequent and painful PVCs the doctor should perform an ECG and an echocardiogram to rule out structural heart disease. The doctor may also conduct an exercise stress test to determine if the additional heartbeats are caused by physical activity. To find out if there are other causes for the extra beatings the heart catheterization or a cardiac MRI is possible.
Most people who suffer from PVCs are not affected and can live a normal life. They can increase the risk of heart rhythm disorders that can be dangerous particularly if they develop in certain patterns. In some instances, this means that the heart muscle gets weaker and it is more difficult to pump blood throughout the 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. It is also important to get enough sleep and reduce stress. Certain medicines can also increase the risk of developing PVCs. If you're taking one of these medications it's crucial to follow your doctor's recommendations about a healthy diet, exercise and taking your medication.
Studies of patients suffering from a high amount of PVCs (that's more than 20% of their total heart beats) found that they had a higher risk of arrhythmia-induced cardiomyopathy. Certain people may require an organ transplant.