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How a VC Can Affect Your Heart

A lot of people experience occasional PVCs without any problems. If they are frequent, PVCs may weaken your heart and increase the risk for heart failure.

A bundle of fibers in the upper right-hand corner of your heart (the sinoatrial node, also known as SA) typically controls your heart rhythm. Electrical signals are transmitted from there to the lower chambers of your heart or ventricles.

Causes

PVCs occur when the electrical impulse that usually begins your heartbeat in a part known as the sinus node (also called the sinoatrial or SA node) does not. The impulse actually starts in the ventricles, which causes a mistimed heartbeat. These extra beats are also called ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation. It may feel like the heart skipped a beat or feels fluttering. They may occur infrequently without causing any symptoms, but they could be frequent enough to affect your standard of life. If they are very frequent or cause weakness, dizziness or fatigue, your doctor might treat them with medicine.

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

PVCs can cause symptoms like a feeling of your heart beating one beat, or even the feeling of your heart fluttering. You may also feel exhausted. The fluttering may be more noticeable if you exercise, or eat or drink certain foods or beverages. PVCs are more common in people with chronic stress or anxiety. Certain drugs, like digoxin, amiodarone and cocaine, may increase the risk of developing PVCs.

If you are experiencing occasional PVCs, your doctor may recommend lifestyle changes and medicines. If they are a frequent occurrence, you may have to stay clear of certain foods and beverages, such as alcohol and caffeine. You can also take steps to lessen your stress, and make sure you get enough sleep and exercise.





If you're suffering from lots of PVCs the doctor might suggest a medical procedure called radiofrequency catheter ablation. This destroys cells that cause PVCs. This is done by a specialist called an electrophysiologist. The treatment is typically successful in treating PVCs, reducing symptoms but does not prevent them from returning in the future. In some cases it can increase the risk of developing atrial fibrillation (AFib), a condition that can lead to stroke. It is not common however it could be life-threatening.

Symptoms

Premature ventricular contractions, or PVCs, can make your heart appear to flutter or skip a beat. These heartbeats that are not normal can be harmless, but you may need to see your doctor when they occur frequently or if you notice symptoms like dizziness, or fatigue.

Normally, electrical signals begin in the sinoatrial node which is in the top right-hand side of the heart. These signals move down to the lower chambers (or ventricles) which pump blood. The ventricles expand to push the blood into the lungs. They return to the heart's center to start the next cycle of pumping. A PVC begins at a different spot that is the Purkinje fibres bundle at the left side of the heart.

When PVCs occur, they can make the heart pound or feel like it skipped a beat. If you only have one or two episodes, and no other symptoms are present, your cardiologist will probably not treat you. If you have many PVCs, your doctor may suggest 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 will track your heartbeat over time, allowing you to see how many PVCs you have.

People who have had a previous heart attack or suffer from cardiomyopathy -- a condition that alters the way the heart pumps blood - should be aware of their PVCs and talk to an expert in cardiology about lifestyle changes. This includes abstaining from caffeine, alcohol, and smoking, managing stress and anxiety, as well as getting enough rest. A cardiologist may prescribe beta blockers to slow down the heartbeat.

Even if there aren't any other symptoms however, you should have PVCs checked by a cardiologist if they happen frequently. These heartbeats that are irregular could indicate a problem in the structure of your heart or lungs and if they occur often enough, it could weaken the heart muscle. Most people with PVCs do not experience any issues. They are interested in knowing if the irregular heartbeats or fluttering is normal.

Diagnosis

PVCs may feel like heartbeats that are fluttering, particularly if they're frequent and intense. People who experience them frequently may feel faint. They can also happen with training, even though many athletes who suffer from them don't have issues with their heart or health. 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 echocardiogram that uses ultrasound to study the heart and observe how it's functioning.

A doctor will usually be able to determine if a patient has PVCs by conducting a thorough examination and taking a medical history. But sometimes they might only be able to detect them when they examine the patient for different reasons, like after a surgery or accident. Ambulatory ECG monitoring systems also help detect PVCs and other arrhythmias and can be used when there is a concern of a cardiac condition.

If your cardiologist determines that your heart's structure is normal, reassurance will be the only treatment needed. If your symptoms are troubling or cause you to feel anxious, staying away from alcohol, caffeine and other over the drug decongestants and decreasing stress can aid. Regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, and drinking enough fluids can all help reduce the frequency of PVCs. If you are experiencing symptoms that are persistent or severe, speak to your doctor about medication that could help manage them.

Treatment

If PVCs don't cause symptoms or are not frequent, they usually don't need treatment. If you experience them frequently, your doctor may want to examine for any other heart problems and suggest lifestyle changes or medicine. You may also undergo an operation to rid yourself of them (called radiofrequency catheter ablation).

If you have PVCs in your heart, the electrical signal which triggers your heartbeat starts somewhere other than at the sinoatrial (SA) node, which is located in the upper right-hand corner of your heart. This could cause your heart to feel as if it skips beats or has additional beats. They're more common among people with heart problems however it's unclear what causes them. PVCs can increase in frequency with age and might happen more frequently during exercises.

windows doctor should perform an ECG and an echocardiogram on a patient that has frequent and painful PVCs to identify structural heart conditions. They will probably also do an exercise stress test to see whether the extra beats are due to physical activity. To find out if there are other causes for the extra beatings, a heart catheterization or cardiac MRI is possible.

Most people with PVCs do not have any issues and can live an ordinary life. They may increase your risk for heart rhythm disorders that can be dangerous, especially if they occur in certain patterns. 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 your chances of developing PVCs. Avoid foods that are high in fat and sodium, and limit your intake of caffeine and tobacco. Also, you should try to get enough sleep and manage stress. Certain medicines can also increase the risk of developing PVCs. If you are taking one of these medicines it's crucial to follow your doctor's instructions about a healthy diet, exercise and taking your medication.

Studies of patients who had an excessive amount of PVCs (that's more than 20 percent of their total heart beats) found that they had a higher risk of arrhythmia-induced cardiomyopathy. Some patients may require a heart transplant.