How a VC Can Affect Your Heart

Many people have occasional PVCs and have no issues. But if they occur frequently, PVCs can weaken your heart muscle and increase your risk of heart failure.

A bundle of fibers in the top right portion of your heart (the sinoatrial or SA node) usually controls your heart rhythm. Electrical signals are transmitted from there to the lower heart chambers or ventricles.

Causes

PVCs occur when the electrical impulse which normally initiates 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, which causes a mistimed heartbeat. These extra beats, also known as ventricular tachycardia, or ventricular fibrillation, may feel like your heart skipped a beat or feels fluttering. They can happen infrequently without causing any symptoms, but they may also happen frequently enough to affect your standard of living. Your doctor might prescribe medication in the event that they are frequent or cause dizziness, weakness or fatigue.

PVCs are generally harmless and do not increase the risk of heart disease. Over time, repeated PVCs can weaken the heart muscle. This is especially true if the PVCs result from conditions like dilated cardiomyopathy and arrhythmogenic right ventricle cardiomyopathy that can lead to heart failure.

The symptoms of PVCs include feeling like your heart beats faster or flutters, and you may feel exhausted. The fluttering may be more evident if you exercise, or eat or drink certain foods or beverages. People with chronic anxiety or stress can have more PVCs and certain medications like amiodarone digoxin and cocaine can increase the chance of developing them.

If you have occasional PVCs Your doctor might recommend lifestyle changes and medicines. If you have frequent PVCs, your doctor may recommend avoiding certain drinks and foods, like caffeine and alcohol. You can also lessen your stress by getting enough sleep and working out.

If you're experiencing many PVCs The doctor may suggest a medical procedure called radiofrequency catheter ablation. It destroys the cells that are responsible for PVCs. Electrophysiologists are the ones who execute this procedure. 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 can increase your risk of atrial fibrillation (AFib) which could lead to stroke. It is not common, but it could be life-threatening.

Signs and symptoms

Premature ventricular contractures PVCs, also known as PVCs, can cause your heart to skip or to flutter. These extra heartbeats are harmless, but you might need to see your doctor when they occur frequently or if you experience symptoms like dizziness, or fatigue.

The normal electrical signals start in the sinoatrial area, which is located in the upper right part of the heart. They then travel to the lower chambers, also known as ventricles, which pump blood. The ventricles expand to push the blood into the lungs. They then return to the center to start the next cycle of pumping. But a PVC begins at a different spot, from the bundle of fibers called the Purkinje fibers, in the bottom left portion of the heart.

When PVCs happen, the heart may feel like it is skipping a beat or pounding. If you only have one or two episodes, and there are no other symptoms your cardiologist may not be able to treat you. But if you have a lot of PVCs the doctor may recommend an electrocardiogram, or ECG, to measure the heart's rate over the course of 24 hours. They may also recommend wearing a Holter monitor that will track the heart's rhythm over time to see how many PVCs you have.

If you've had 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 speak to a cardiologist regarding lifestyle modifications. These include avoiding alcohol, caffeine and smoking, managing stress and anxiety, as well as getting enough rest. A cardiologist might also prescribe medication to slow heartbeat, like a beta blocker.

If you have frequent PVCs even if you don't have any other symptoms you should see an expert in cardiology. These extra heartbeats can indicate problems with the structure of your heart or other health conditions and, over time when they happen frequently enough, they can weaken the heart muscle. Most people who suffer from PVCs do not have any problems. They are interested in knowing if the fluttering heartbeats or skipping heartbeats is normal.

Diagnosis

PVCs may feel like heartbeats that flutter, particularly if they're frequent and intense. Patients who have a lot of them may feel they're going to faint. Exercise can cause PVCs, but a lot of athletes who suffer from them do not have heart or health issues. PVCs may show up in tests like an electrocardiogram (ECG) or Holter monitor. These are sticky patches that have sensors that record electrical signals from your heart. A cardiologist could also employ an ultrasound echocardiogram to study the heart.

A doctor is often able to tell the presence of PVCs by conducting a thorough examination and taking a medical history. However, sometimes they will not be aware of them until they examine the patient for other reasons, such as after a surgery or accident. Ambulatory ECG monitors can detect PVCs as well as other arrhythmias. They may be used to identify cardiac problems in the event of any reason to be concerned.

If your cardiologist concludes that your heart's structure is normal, reassurance is the only treatment needed. If your symptoms are troubling or cause you to feel anxious, staying away from alcohol, caffeine and over-the counter decongestants, and decreasing stress can aid. Regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight and drinking enough fluids can help reduce the frequency of PVCs. If your symptoms continue or are severe, talk with your physician about possible medication options to treat the symptoms.


Treatment

If PVCs don't cause symptoms or occur rarely, they usually don't need treatment. If they occur frequently, your doctor might be able to look for heart issues or suggest lifestyle adjustments. You might also get a procedure to get rid of them (called radiofrequency catheter ablation).

When the window doctor near me have PVCs, the electrical signal that causes your heartbeat starts somewhere outside of the sinoatrial node (SA node) located in the upper right part of your heart. It can feel like your heart skips beats or is beating faster. They're more common among people suffering from heart disease, but it's not known what causes them. PVCs are more likely to occur as you age, and could be more frequent during exercises.

A doctor should perform an ECG and an echocardiogram for a patient who suffers from frequent and painful PVCs to rule out structural heart diseases. The doctor will also likely perform an exercise stress test in order to determine if the extra heartbeats are due to physical exercise. A heart catheterization or cardiac MRI or nuclear perfusion study could be performed to find other reasons for the increased beats.

Most people with PVCs do not experience any issues and can live a normal lifestyle. However, they may increase the risk of developing dangerous heart rhythm issues, especially if you have certain patterns of them. In some cases, that means that the heart muscle becomes weaker and has trouble pumping blood throughout your body.

Regular exercise and a healthy diet can lower the chances of developing PVCs. Avoid foods high in fat and sodium and limit your consumption of caffeine and tobacco. Sleep and stress are equally crucial. Some medicines may also increase the risk of developing PVCs. If you are taking one of these medicines it's crucial to follow the doctor's advice about eating well, exercising and taking your medication.

Studies of patients with a high burden of PVCs (that's more than 20% of their total heart beats) found that they had a higher risk of arrhythmia-induced cardiomyopathy. This can result in the need for a transplant in certain patients.