How a VC Can Affect Your Heart
Many people experience occasional PVCs and have no issues. If they happen frequently, PVCs may weaken your heart and increase the risk of heart failure.
A bundle of fibers in the upper right-hand corner of your heart (the sinoatrial or SA node) usually controls your heart's rhythm. Electrical signals travel from there to the lower heart chambers, or ventricles.
Causes
PVCs happen when the electrical impulse that usually begins your heartbeat in a region called the sinus node (also called the sinoatrial or SA node) does not. Instead, the impulse begins in a different area of your heart called the ventricles and triggers an untimed beat. These extra beats are also known as ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation. It may feel like the heart beats faster or feels like it is fluttering. They may occur infrequently, causing no symptoms, but they could also happen frequently enough to impact your quality of living. If they occur frequently or cause weakness, dizziness, or fatigue, your doctor could treat them with medication.
PVCs are generally harmless and don't increase your risk of heart disease. A lot of PVCs however, could weaken the heart muscle over time. This is particularly when the PVCs are caused by conditions like dilated cardiomyopathy and arrhythmogenic right-ventricular cardiomyopathy, which could lead to heart failure.
PVCs can cause symptoms such as a feeling of your heart beating a beat, or fluttering. You might also feel exhausted. The fluttering can be more noticeable when you exercise or consume certain foods or beverages. PVCs are more prevalent in people with chronic stress or anxiety. Some drugs, like digoxin, amiodarone and cocaine, may increase the risk.
If you have occasional PVCs your doctor may suggest lifestyle changes and medications. If you are prone to frequent PVCs, your doctor may suggest that you stay away from certain drinks and foods, such as alcohol and caffeine. You can also reduce your stress, and make sure you get enough sleep and exercise.
If you're suffering from a lot of PVCs, he may suggest a medical procedure called radiofrequency catheter ablation, which destroys cells that cause PVCs. Electrophysiologists are the ones who carry out this procedure. It is typically effective in treating PVCs and reducing symptoms however, it doesn't prevent them from recurring in the future. In some instances, it can increase your risk of having atrial fibrillation (AFib), which can lead to stroke. This is rare but can be life-threatening.
Symptoms
Premature ventricular contractures PVCs, also known as PVCs, can cause your heart to skip or to flutter. These heartbeats that are not normal can be harmless, but you may want to consult your doctor if they are frequent or if you are experiencing symptoms like dizziness, or fatigue.
The electrical signals normally begin 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 contract to propel blood into your lungs and then return to the heart to begin the next pumping cycle. A PVC begins in a different place in the Purkinje fibres bundle in the left side of the heart.
When PVCs occur and the heart is affected, it may appear to be skipping a beat or pounding. If you only have a few episodes, and there are no other symptoms your cardiologist may not be able to treat you. If you have many PVCs, your doctor may suggest you undergo an electrocardiogram (ECG) to determine the heartbeat for a period of 24 hours. The doctor may also recommend wearing a Holter Monitor, which records the heart's rhythm and count the number of PVCs.
Anyone who has suffered a previous heart attack or cardiomyopathy, an illness that affects the heart's blood flow - must take their PVCs seriously and consult a cardiologist about lifestyle modifications. Those include abstaining from alcohol, caffeine and smoking, reducing anxiety and stress and getting enough rest. A cardiologist can prescribe medication to slow heartbeat, such as beta blockers.
If you have frequent PVCs even if you do not have any other symptoms, you should consult a cardiologist. These irregular heartbeats could indicate an issue with the structure of your heart or other health issues and, over time, when they happen frequently enough, they can weaken the heart muscle. Most people with PVCs do not experience any problems. They just want to be aware that the fluttering and skipping heartbeats aren't normal.
Diagnosis
PVCs can feel like heartbeats that are fluttering particularly if they're frequent and intense. People who experience them frequently may feel faint. They can also occur during exercise, though many athletes who get them don't have issues with their heart or health. PVCs can be detected in tests like an electrocardiogram or Holter monitor. These patches have sensors that record electrical impulses from your heart. A cardiologist may also use an ultrasound echocardiogram to examine the heart.
Often, a doctor will be able to tell whether the patient is suffering from PVCs from a history and physical examination. But sometimes they might only be able to detect them when they examine the patient for other reasons, for instance following an accident or surgery. Ambulatory ECG monitoring systems also aid in detecting PVCs and other arrhythmias, and they might be used when there is a concern of cardiac disease.
If your cardiologist determines your heart is structurally healthy, reassurance could be all you need. However, if your symptoms are bothersome or make you feel anxious, avoiding alcohol, caffeine, and other decongestants and reducing stress may help. Regular exercise and maintaining a healthy weight and drinking enough fluids can all help to reduce the frequency of PVCs. If your symptoms continue or are severe, talk to your doctor about treatments that could help control the symptoms.
Treatment
If PVCs don't cause symptoms or occur rarely, they usually don't need treatment. If you are frequently affected and frequently, your doctor might want to look for other heart conditions and suggest lifestyle changes or medicine. You could also have a procedure to get rid of them (called radiofrequency catheter ablation).
If you suffer from PVCs, the electrical signal that causes your heartbeat is generated from a place other than the sinoatrial node (SA node) in the top right corner of your heart. It can feel like your heart skips beats or has a few extra beats. PVCs are more prevalent among people who suffer from heart issues, but it's not known what causes them. PVCs are more frequent as you age, and may occur more often during exercising.
window doctor should perform an ECG and an echocardiogram on a patient who has frequent and painful PVCs to rule out structural heart diseases. They will probably also do an exercise stress test to determine if the extra beats are due to physical exercise. A heart catheterization or cardiac MRI or nuclear perfusion study could be done to look for other causes of the extra beats.
Most people with PVCs do not experience any complications and can lead a normal lifestyle. But they can increase the risk of developing dangerous heart rhythm issues, especially if you have certain patterns of them. In some cases, this means that the heart muscle gets weaker and is unable to pump blood throughout your body.
Regular exercise and a balanced diet will 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 also crucial. Some medicines can also increase your risk of PVCs. If you are taking one of these drugs it is important to follow your doctor's recommendations about eating well, exercising and taking your medication.
In studies of patients suffering from PVC burdens that are excessive (more than 20% of the total heartbeats) there was a higher incidence of arrhythmia-induced cardiac myopathy was found. Some people may need a heart transplant.
