How a VC Can Affect Your Heart

PVCs are common and may be experienced by a variety of people with no cause for concern. If they are frequent, PVCs may weaken your heart and increase the chance of suffering from heart failure.

A bundle of fibers located in the upper right part of your heart (the sinoatrial or SA node) typically regulates your heart's rhythm. Electrical signals are transmitted to the ventricles or lower chambers of your heart.

Causes

PVCs happen when the electrical impulse that normally triggers your heartbeat at the Sinus Node (also known as the Sinoatrial or the SA node) is not initiated. Instead, the impulse begins in a different area of your heart called the ventricles and triggers an untimed beat. These extra beats, known as ventricular tachycardia, or ventricular fibrillation, could feel as if your heart skipped a beat or is like it's fluttering. They can happen infrequently and cause no symptoms, or they may occur frequently enough to impact your daily life. Your doctor might prescribe medication in the event that they are frequent or cause weakness, dizziness or fatigue.


For the majority of people, PVCs are harmless and don't increase your risk of developing heart disease or other health problems. In time, frequent PVCs can weaken the heart muscle. 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 like a feeling of your heart racing a beat, or the feeling of your heart fluttering. It is also possible to feel breathless. The fluttering can be more noticeable when you exercise or consume certain drinks or food items. PVCs are more prevalent in people with chronic anxiety or stress. Some drugs, like digoxin, amiodarone, and cocaine, can also increase their risk.

If you are experiencing occasional PVCs your doctor may recommend lifestyle changes and medication. If they are a frequent occurrence, you may need to stay clear of certain drinks and foods like caffeine and alcohol. You can also reduce your stress levels, and take advantage of plenty of rest and exercise.

If you have many PVCs Your doctor might recommend a medical procedure referred to as radiofrequency catheter ablation. It eliminates the cells responsible for them. Electrophysiologists are the ones who perform this procedure. The treatment is usually effective in treating PVCs which reduce symptoms, but it does not stop them from becoming recurring in the future. In some cases, it can increase your risk of atrial fibrillation (AFib) which could result in a stroke. This isn't common, but it can be life-threatening.

Symptoms

Premature ventricular contractions or PVCs, may make your heart appear to skip or flutter a beat. These heartbeats can be harmless, but it is important to talk to your doctor when you experience frequent episodes or signs like dizziness or weakness.

The normal electrical signals start in the sinoatrial region, which is in the upper right corner of the heart. They then move to the lower chambers, or ventricles, where blood pumps are located. Then, the ventricles contract to propel the blood into your lungs, and then return to your heart to start the next cycle of pumping. But a PVC starts at a different spot and is located in the bundle of fibers, known as the Purkinje fibers in the left-hand side of the heart.

When PVCs occur and the heart is affected, it may feel as if it's skipping a beat or pounding. If you experience only a few episodes, but no other symptoms, your cardiologist probably won't treat you. If you have many PVCs, your doctor may suggest 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 the heart's rhythm over time to see how many PVCs you have.

Anyone who has suffered a heart attack in the past or suffer from cardiomyopathy -- a condition that alters the way the heart pumps blood -and should be aware of their PVCs and talk to a cardiologist about changes to their lifestyle. This includes the avoidance of alcohol, caffeine, and smoking, managing anxiety and stress, and ensuring adequate sleep. A cardiologist may prescribe medications to slow heartbeat, like beta blockers.

If you experience frequent PVCs, even if you don't have any other symptoms, you should consult an expert in cardiology. These heartbeats that are irregular could indicate a problem in the structure of your lungs or heart, and if they happen often enough, it could weaken the heart muscle. However, most people suffering from PVCs don't experience any problems. They want to know if the fluttering heartbeats or skipping heartbeats is normal.

Diagnosis

PVCs can feel like fluttering or skipped heartbeats, especially if they're frequent or intense. People who experience a lot of them may feel they're about to faint. Exercise can trigger them, but most athletes who experience them do not have heart or health issues. PVCs could show up in tests like an electrocardiogram (ECG) or Holter monitor. These patches contain sensors which record electrical impulses that come from your heart. A cardiologist might also use an echocardiogram, which makes use of ultrasound to examine the heart and determine how it's working.

A doctor will usually be able to determine if a patient has PVCs by looking at them and taking a medical history. Sometimes, however, they may only be able to detect PVCs when they examine patients for a different reason such as following an accident or surgical procedure. Ambulatory ECG monitoring systems can also assist in detecting PVCs and other arrhythmias, and can be used when there is a concern of cardiac disease.

If your cardiologist has determined that your heart is structurally healthy, reassurance might be all that's needed. If window doctors Repair My Windows And Doors are causing you discomfort or make you feel anxious, staying away from alcohol, caffeine and other over the prescription decongestants, as well as reducing stress may aid. Regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight and drinking enough fluids can help to reduce the frequency of PVCs. If the symptoms persist or are severe, talk to your doctor about possible medication options to treat these symptoms.

Treatment

If PVCs are rare or don't cause symptoms, they don't usually need treatment. If you are frequently affected or frequently, your doctor may wish to look for any other heart problems and suggest lifestyle changes or medications. You might also get a procedure to get rid of them (called radiofrequency catheter ablation).

If you have PVCs in your heart the electrical signal that creates your heartbeat is located other than at the sinoatrial (SA) node located in the upper right corner of your heart. This could cause it to feel like your heart skips beats or has extra beats. It's not known what causes these symptoms, but they're common in people with other heart issues. PVCs may increase in frequency as you age, and may occur more frequently during exercises.

A physician should perform an ECG and an echocardiogram on a patient who suffers from frequent and painful PVCs to determine if there are structural heart problems. The doctor may also perform an exercise stress test in order to determine if the additional heartbeats are caused by physical activity. To determine whether there are any other causes for the extra beatings an invasive heart catheterization or cardiac MRI is possible.

Most people with PVCs don't experience any problems and can enjoy an ordinary life. However, they can increase your risk of having dangerous heart rhythm problems, especially if you have certain patterns of them. In some cases this means that the heart muscle gets weaker and has difficulty pumping blood throughout your body.

A healthy and balanced diet and regular exercise can help reduce your risk of developing PVCs. You should avoid foods that are high in sodium and fat and reduce your intake of caffeine and tobacco. Also, you should try to sleep enough and manage stress. Certain medications can increase the risk of developing PVCs. If you are taking one of these drugs it is important to follow your doctor's instructions about eating well, exercising and taking your medication.

In studies of patients suffering from PVC burdens that are high (more than 20% of heartbeats) the higher rate of arrhythmia-induced cardiac myopathy was found. Some people may need a heart transplant.