10-Things-Everyone-Makes-Up-About-Pvc-Doctor-m
How a VC Can Affect Your Heart
PVCs are common and may 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.
The heart's rhythm is controlled by a bundle of fibers that are located in the upper right-hand corner of your heart. This is called the sinoatrial node or SA. Electrical signals are transmitted to the ventricles or lower chambers of your heart.
Causes
PVCs are caused by the electrical impulse that normally starts your heartbeat at the Sinus Node (also known as the Sinoatrial or SA node) does not. The impulse actually begins in the ventricles, which causes a mistimed heartbeat. These extra beats are known as ventricular tachycardia, and ventricular fibrillation. It may feel like the heart beats faster or feels fluttering. They can occur infrequently and cause no symptoms, or they can occur frequently enough to affect your quality of life. Your doctor may prescribe medicine when they occur frequently or cause weakness, dizziness or fatigue.
PVCs are generally harmless and do not increase your risk of heart disease. In time, frequent PVCs can weaken the heart muscle. This is particularly true if they are caused by a heart disease like dilated cardiomyopathy, or arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy which may lead to symptomatic heart failure.
The symptoms of PVCs include a feeling that your heart beats slower or is fluttering, and you feel breathless. The fluttering may be more noticeable if you exercise, or eat or drink certain foods or beverages. People who suffer from chronic anxiety or stress can have more PVCs and certain medications such as amiodarone, digoxin, and cocaine can increase the chance of developing them.
If you are experiencing occasional PVCs Your doctor might suggest lifestyle changes and medications. If they are a regular occurrence, you may need to avoid some foods and beverages, such as caffeine and alcohol. You can also lower stress by having enough sleep and working out.
If you have a lot of PVCs Your doctor might 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 perform this procedure. It is generally successful in treating the PVCs and reducing symptoms, however, it doesn't prevent them from occurring in the future. In certain instances, it can increase the risk of developing atrial fibrillation (AFib) which is an illness that can cause stroke. This is rare but it could be life-threatening.
Signs and symptoms
Premature ventricular contractions, also known as PVCs, can make your heart appear to skip or flutter one beat. These extra heartbeats are harmless, however you might be advised to consult your physician when they occur frequently or if you are experiencing symptoms such as dizziness or fatigue.
The normal electrical signals start in the sinoatrial area, which is located in the upper right corner of the heart. They then move to the lower chambers, or ventricles, where blood pumps are located. The ventricles expand to pump blood into the lung. They return to the center to begin the next cycle of pumping. But a PVC starts in a different place that is separate from the bundle of fibers called the Purkinje fibers in the lower left part of the heart.
When PVCs happen they can make the heart feel as if it's skipping a beat or pounding. If you have only one or two episodes, and no other symptoms are present the cardiologist will likely not be able to treat you. If you have a lot of PVCs the doctor may suggest that you undergo an electrocardiogram (ECG) to determine the heartbeat for a period of 24 hours. The doctor may also suggest wearing a Holter monitor that will track your heartbeat over time to see the number of PVCs you have.
If you've suffered a heart attack in the past or have cardiomyopathy -which affects the way that the heart pumps bloodand should take their PVCs seriously and consult an expert in cardiology about lifestyle changes. These include abstaining from alcohol, caffeine and smoking, reducing stress and anxiety and ensuring adequate sleep. A cardiologist may prescribe medications to slow heartbeat, such as beta blockers.
Even if you don't experience any other signs, you should still get PVCs examined by an expert in cardiology if they occur frequently. These irregular heartbeats could be a sign of an issue with the structure of your heart or to other health conditions and, over time, when they happen frequently enough, they may weaken the heart muscle. But the majority of people with PVCs don't have any issues. They would like to know if irregular heartbeats or fluttering is normal.
Diagnosis
PVCs may feel like heartbeats that flutter, particularly if they're frequent and intense. People who experience them often may feel faint. Exercise can cause them, but most athletes who suffer from them have no heart or health problems. PVCs can show up on tests such as an electrocardiogram or a Holter monitor. They have sensors that record electrical impulses from your heart. A cardiologist could also employ an ultrasound echocardiogram to study the heart.
A doctor will usually be able to determine the presence of PVCs by examining them and taking their medical history. However, sometimes they will only be able to detect them when they examine the patient for other reasons, for instance after a surgery or accident. Ambulatory ECG monitors can detect PVCs and other arrhythmias. They are able to detect cardiac disease in the event of any concern.
If your cardiologist concludes that your heart is structurally normal, reassurance will be the only remedy required. If your symptoms are bothersome or cause you to feel anxious, staying away from alcohol, caffeine, and over the drug decongestants and reducing stress may aid. Regular exercise and maintaining a healthy weight, and drinking enough fluids can aid in reducing the frequency of PVCs. If your symptoms persist or are severe, speak to your doctor about medication options to treat these symptoms.
Treatment
If PVCs don't cause symptoms or are not frequent, they usually don't need treatment. If you have them often and frequently, your doctor might want to check for other heart conditions and suggest lifestyle changes or medication. You could also undergo an operation (called radiofrequency cathode ablation) to eliminate of them.
When you have 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 corner of your heart. It can feel like your heart skips a beat or is beating faster. They're more common among people suffering from heart disease, but it's not known the reason behind them. PVCs are more likely to occur as you age, and they might occur more frequently during exercise.
If the window doctor is experiencing frequent and painful PVCs, a physician should perform an ECG and an echocardiogram to rule out structural heart disease. They will probably also do an exercise stress test to determine whether the additional beats are a result of physical activity. A heart catheterization, cardiac MRI or nuclear perfusion study can be done to look for other reasons for the extra beats.
The majority of people with PVCs don't experience any problems and can enjoy an ordinary life. But they can increase the risk of developing dangerous heart rhythm issues, especially if you have certain patterns of them. In some cases, this means that the heart muscle becomes weaker and has difficulty pumping blood throughout your body.
A healthy, regular diet and a lot of exercise can help reduce your chances of developing PVCs. Avoid foods that are high in sodium and fat and restrict your intake of tobacco and caffeine. Also, you should try to sleep enough and reduce stress. Certain medications can increase your risk of PVCs. If you take any of these medications, it is important that you follow the advice of your doctor regarding healthy eating exercising, as well as taking your medication.
Studies of patients with a high amount of PVCs (that's more than 20% of their total heart beats) discovered that they had a higher risk of arrhythmia-induced cardiomyopathy. This can result in the need for a heart transplant in a few people.
