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How a VC Can Affect Your Heart
PVCs are common and can be experienced by many people without causing any issues. But if they occur frequently, PVCs can weaken your heart muscle and increase the risk of heart failure.
A bundle of fibers located in the upper right part of your heart (the sinoatrial or SA node) usually controls your heart rhythm. Electrical signals are transmitted from there to the lower chambers of your heart, or ventricles.
Causes
PVCs happen when the electrical impulse that normally initiates your heartbeat at the Sinus Node (also known as the Sinoatrial or SA node) is not initiated. Instead, the impulse begins in another area of your heart, the ventricles, and causes a mistimed beat. These extra beats are known as ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation. It may feel like the heart skipped a beating or feels like it is fluttering. They can occur rarely, causing no symptoms, but they could also happen frequently enough to impact your quality of life. Your doctor may prescribe medicine if they are frequent or cause weakness, dizziness or fatigue.
PVCs are generally harmless and do not increase your risk of heart disease. In time, repeated PVCs can weaken the heart muscle. This is especially the case if they are caused by a heart condition such as dilated cardiomyopathy arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy which can lead to symptomatic heart failure.
PVCs can cause symptoms such as a feeling of your heart beating an beat, or the feeling of your heart fluttering. You might also feel breathless. The fluttering could be more evident if you exercise, or consume certain foods or beverages. People who experience chronic stress or anxiety can have more PVCs, and some drugs like amiodarone digoxin, and cocaine can increase the likelihood of developing them.
If you experience occasional PVCs Your doctor may recommend lifestyle changes and medicines. If they're a frequent occurrence, you may have to avoid some foods and beverages, such as caffeine and alcohol. You can also lessen stress by taking enough rest and exercising.
If you have many PVCs Your doctor might suggest a medical procedure known as radiofrequency catheter ablation, which destroys the cells that cause them. This procedure is performed by a specialist called an electrophysiologist. It is generally successful in treating the PVCs and reducing symptoms, but it doesn't stop them from occurring in the future. In certain cases, it can increase your risk of having atrial fibrillation (AFib), which can result in stroke. It's not common, but it can be life-threatening.
Signs and symptoms
Premature ventricular contractions or PVCs may cause your heart to skip or be fluttering. These extra heartbeats are usually harmless, however, you should consult your physician 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-hand corner of the heart. They then move to the lower chambers, also known as ventricles, which pump blood. The ventricles then contract to force blood into the lungs. They return to the heart's center to start the next cycle of pumping. A PVC starts in a different place that is the Purkinje fibres bundle in the left-hand side of the heart.
When PVCs occur, they can make the heart pound or feel like it skipped one beat. If you've experienced only a few episodes, but no other symptoms, the doctor will probably not treat you. If window doctors have many PVCs and your doctor might suggest you undergo an electrocardiogram (ECG) to monitor your heartbeat over the course of 24 hours. He or she might also suggest wearing a Holter Monitor which tracks your heartbeat and tracks the number of PVCs.
Anyone who has suffered previously from a heart attack or cardiomyopathy, an illness that affects method by which the heart pumps blood - should take their PVCs seriously and consult an expert in cardiology about lifestyle modifications. These include the avoidance of alcohol, caffeine, and smoking, reducing anxiety and stress, and getting enough sleep. A cardiologist can prescribe medication to slow heartbeat, like a beta blocker.
Even if you don't experience any other symptoms however, you should have PVCs examined by an cardiologist if they occur frequently. These irregular heartbeats could be a sign of an issue with the structure of your heart or other health conditions and, over time, if they occur often enough, they may weaken the heart muscle. However, most people suffering from PVCs don't experience any problems. They simply want to be aware that the fluttering and skippy heartbeats aren't typical.
Diagnosis
PVCs might feel like fluttering or skipped heartbeats, especially when they are frequent or intense. People who experience a lot of them may feel they're going to faint. They can also occur with training, even though many athletes who experience them don't have any problems in their heart or health. PVCs may show up in tests like an electrocardiogram (ECG) or Holter monitor. They use sticky patches with sensors that record electrical signals from your heart. A cardiologist may also perform an echocardiogram, which uses ultrasound to look at the heart and determine how it's working.
A doctor is often able to tell 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 other reasons, for instance after an accident or surgery. Ambulatory ECG monitors can detect PVCs and other arrhythmias. They may be used to identify cardiac problems in the event of any reason to be concerned.
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 be anxious, avoiding alcohol, caffeine and other over the counter decongestants, and decreasing stress can aid. Engaging in regular exercise, keeping at a healthy weight, and drinking enough fluids can reduce your episodes of PVCs. If your symptoms are persistent or severe, talk to your doctor about medication that may be able to reduce the symptoms.
Treatment
If PVCs aren't common or don't cause symptoms, they rarely require treatment. If they are frequent your doctor may need to examine for heart problems or suggest lifestyle changes. You might also get an operation to rid yourself of them (called radiofrequency catheter ablation).
When you have PVCs the electrical signal that triggers your heartbeat begins somewhere outside of the sinoatrial node (SA node) in the top right corner of your heart. This could cause your heart to feel like it skips a beating or has extra beats. It's unclear what causes these symptoms, but they're common in people who have other heart problems. PVCs may increase in frequency with age and might happen more frequently during exercise.
If a patient is experiencing frequent and painful PVCs the doctor is required to perform an ECG and an echocardiogram to rule out structural heart disease. The doctor will also conduct an exercise stress test to determine if the increased heartbeats are due to physical activity. A heart catheterization or cardiac MRI or nuclear perfusion study can be conducted to determine other causes for the increased beats.
The majority of people with PVCs are not affected and live an ordinary life. However, they can increase the risk of developing dangerous heart rhythm issues, especially if you have certain patterns of them. In some instances, this means that the heart muscle becomes weaker and is unable to pump blood through your body.
A healthy and balanced diet and regular exercise can reduce your risk of developing PVCs. Avoid foods that are high in sodium and fat, and limit your intake of caffeine and tobacco. Stress and sleep are also important. Certain medicines can also increase your risk for PVCs. If you're taking one of these medications, it's important to follow your doctor's instructions regarding eating healthy, exercising and taking your medication.
Studies of patients suffering from a high burden of PVCs (that's more than 20 percent of their total heart beats) discovered that they had a higher rate of arrhythmia-induced cardiomyopathy. Some people may need a heart transplant.