A-Guide-To-Pvc-Doctor-In-2023-k

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.

The heart's rhythm is usually controlled by a bundle of fibers that are located in the upper right corner of your heart. This is called the sinoatrial node, or SA. Electrical signals travel to the ventricles or lower chambers of your heart.

Causes

PVCs occur when the electrical impulse that normally starts your heartbeat at the Sinus Node (also called the Sinoatrial or SA node) does not. The impulse actually starts in the ventricles, which causes an untimed heartbeat. These extra beats are known as ventricular tachycardia, and ventricular fibrillation. It could feel as if the heart skipped a beating or feels like it is fluttering. They may happen rarely and have no symptoms or they can occur frequently enough to impact your daily life. Your doctor might prescribe medication when they occur frequently or cause weakness, dizziness or fatigue.

For most people, PVCs are harmless and don't increase your risk of heart disease or other health problems. Regular PVCs, however, can weaken your heart muscle over time. This is especially relevant if they are triggered by a heart disease such as dilated cardiomyopathy arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy which can lead to symptomatic heart failure.

PVCs can cause symptoms, such as a sensation of your heart skipping a beat, or the feeling of your heart fluttering. window doctor may also feel exhausted. The fluttering could be more noticeable if you exercise, or consume certain drinks or foods. PVCs are more common for those who suffer from chronic anxiety or stress. Some medications, like digoxin, amiodarone and cocaine, can increase their risk.

If you experience occasional PVCs your doctor may suggest lifestyle changes and medications. If you have frequent PVCs, your doctor might recommend avoiding certain foods and drinks such as caffeine and alcohol. You can also reduce your stress levels, and take advantage of plenty of rest and exercise.

If you have lots of PVCs the doctor might suggest a medical treatment called radiofrequency catheter ablation. It destroys cells that cause PVCs. Electrophysiologists are the ones who carry out this procedure. It is typically successful in treating the PVCs and reducing symptoms but it doesn't stop them from occurring in the future. In some cases it may increase the risk of developing atrial fibrillation (AFib), which can cause a stroke. This is rare but can be life-threatening.

Signs and symptoms

Premature ventricular contractions, also known as PVCs, may make your heart seem to skip or flutter one beat. These extra heartbeats are harmless, but you might want to consult your doctor when they occur frequently or if you are experiencing symptoms like dizziness, or fatigue.

The normal electrical signals start in the sinoatrial, located in the upper right part of the heart. They then move to the lower chambers, or ventricles, that pump blood. The ventricles contract to push the blood into the lung. They return to the center to begin the next cycle of pumping. But a PVC starts in a different location 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 beat faster or feel as if it skipped one beat. If you only have a few episodes, and no other symptoms are present your cardiologist may not prescribe treatment. But if you have a lot of PVCs, the doctor may recommend an electrocardiogram, also known as an ECG to gauge the heart's rate over the course of 24 hours. The doctor might also recommend wearing a Holter monitor that records the heart's rhythm over time to determine how many PVCs you have.

Anyone who has suffered a heart attack in the past or have cardiomyopathy -which affects how the heart pumps blood- should be aware of their PVCs and consult a cardiologist about lifestyle changes. Those include avoiding caffeine, alcohol and smoking, reducing stress and anxiety and getting enough sleep. A cardiologist can prescribe beta blockers to slow the heartbeat.

If you are experiencing frequent PVCs even if do not have any other signs, you should see a cardiologist. These extra heartbeats may be a sign of a problem with the structure of your heart or lungs and if they happen often enough, can weaken your heart muscle. But the majority of people suffering from PVCs do not experience any issues. They simply want to be aware that the fluttering or racing heartbeats aren't normal.

Diagnosis





PVCs can be akin to heartbeats that are fluttering particularly if they're frequent and intense. People who experience them often might feel faint. They can also occur during training, even though many athletes who experience them don't have issues with their health or heart. PVCs could show up in tests such as an electrocardiogram (ECG) or Holter monitor. These are sticky patches that have sensors on them to record electrical impulses from your heart. A cardiologist can also perform an ultrasound echocardiogram to study the heart.

A doctor may be able to identify if the patient has PVCs from a history and physical exam. Sometimes however, they might not be aware of PVCs until they examine patients for a different reason, such as after an accident or surgical procedure. Ambulatory ECG monitoring systems also help detect PVCs and other arrhythmias, and they might be used when there is a concern of heart disease.

If your cardiologist concludes that your heart is structurally healthy, reassurance could be all that's needed. If your symptoms are bothersome or cause you to feel anxious, staying away from alcohol, caffeine and other over the drug decongestants and decreasing stress can aid. Getting regular exercise, staying at a healthy weight and drinking enough water can also help reduce the frequency of PVCs. If the symptoms persist or are severe, talk to your doctor about medication options to treat the symptoms.

Treatment

If PVCs are rare or do not cause symptoms, they do not usually require treatment. If they occur frequently your doctor may be able to look for heart issues or suggest lifestyle changes. You could also have an intervention to get rid of them (called radiofrequency catheter ablation).

If you suffer from PVCs in your heart, the electrical signal which causes your heartbeat begins somewhere outside of the sinoatrial (SA) node located in the upper right-hand corner of your heart. This could cause it to feel like your heart skips beats or has a few extra beats. It's not known what causes these symptoms, but they're frequent in those with other heart conditions. PVCs can become more frequent as you age, and they might occur more frequently during exercising.

A doctor should perform an ECG and an echocardiogram on a patient who suffers from frequent and painful PVCs to identify structural heart conditions. They should also conduct an exercise stress test to determine whether the extra beats are caused by physical exercise. To determine whether there are other reasons for the increased beats the heart catheterization or an MRI is possible.

The majority of people who suffer from PVCs have no complications and can lead a normal life. They can increase the risk of dangerous heart rhythm disorders particularly if they happen in certain patterns. In some cases this means that the heart muscle becomes weaker and it is more difficult to pump blood throughout your body.

Regular exercise and a balanced diet will lower the chances of developing PVCs. Avoid foods that are high in fat and sodium as well as restrict your intake of tobacco and caffeine. Stress and sleep are also important. Certain medications can increase your risk of PVCs. If you're taking one of these medicines it's crucial to follow the doctor's advice about eating well, exercising and taking your medication.

In studies of patients suffering from PVC burdens that are high (more than 20% of the total heartbeats), a higher rate arrhythmia-induced cardiac myopathy was discovered. This can lead to a need for a heart transplant in a few people.