How a VC Can Affect Your Heart
A lot of people experience occasional PVCs without any problems. If they occur often, PVCs may weaken your heart and increase the risk of heart failure.
The rhythm of your heart is controlled by a bundle of fibers located in the upper right-hand part of your heart. This is called the sinoatrial node, or SA. Electrical signals travel to ventricles or lower chambers of your heart.
Causes
PVCs occur when the electrical impulse that usually begins your heartbeat in a part known as the sinus node (also called the sinoatrial node or SA node) doesn't. The impulse actually begins in the ventricles, which causes an untimed heartbeat. These extra beats, called ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation, can feel like your heart skipped a beat or is like it's fluttering. They may occur infrequently, causing no symptoms, but they may be frequent enough to affect your quality of life. If they occur frequently or cause dizziness, weakness or fatigue, your doctor may treat them with medicine.
PVCs are generally harmless and don't increase your risk of developing heart disease. Frequent PVCs however, may weaken the heart muscle over time. This is particularly true if the PVCs result from a condition like dilated cardiomyopathy and arrhythmogenic right ventricle cardiomyopathy that could lead to heart failure.
PVCs can trigger symptoms such as a feeling of your heart racing a beat, or fluttering. You may also feel exhausted. The fluttering may be more apparent when you exercise or eat or drink certain beverages or foods. People who experience chronic stress or anxiety can have more PVCs and certain medications such as amiodarone, digoxin, and cocaine can increase the chance of developing them.
If you are experiencing occasional PVCs Your doctor might suggest lifestyle changes and medications. If they are a frequent occurrence, you may need to avoid some drinks and foods like alcohol and caffeine. You can also lower your stress levels by taking enough rest and working out.
If you've got a lot of PVCs, your doctor may recommend a medical procedure referred to as radiofrequency catheter ablation, which destroys the cells that cause them. Electrophysiologists are the ones who execute this procedure. The treatment is typically successful in treating PVCs which reduce symptoms, but does not prevent them from recurring in the future. In some cases, it can increase your risk of having atrial fibrillation (AFib), which can result in a stroke. It is not common, but it can be life-threatening.
Symptoms
Premature ventricular contractures, or PVCs can cause your heart to skip or to flutter. These extra heartbeats can be harmless, however you might want to consult your doctor in the event of frequent heartbeats or if you experience symptoms such as dizziness or fatigue.
The normal electrical signals start in the sinoatrial, located in the upper right-hand part of the heart. They then travel to the lower chambers, or ventricles, which pump blood. The ventricles expand to pump blood into the lung. They then return to the center to start the next cycle of pumping. A PVC starts at a different spot in the Purkinje fibres bundle in the left-hand side of the heart.
When PVCs occur they can make the heart appear to be racing or pounding. If you only have one or two episodes, and there are no other symptoms the cardiologist will likely not prescribe treatment. If you've got a large number of PVCs the doctor may recommend an electrocardiogram, also known as an ECG to determine your heart rate over a 24-hour period. He or she may also recommend wearing a Holter monitor that will track your heartbeat over time, allowing you to see the number of PVCs you have.
Anyone who has suffered an earlier heart attack or cardiomyopathy, an illness that affects the heart's blood flow - should take their PVCs very seriously and consult an expert in cardiology about lifestyle modifications. These include the avoidance of alcohol, caffeine, and smoking, reducing stress and anxiety and getting enough sleep. A cardiologist can prescribe beta blockers to slow the heartbeat.
Even if there aren't any other signs however, you should have PVCs examined by a cardiologist if they happen frequently. These irregular heartbeats could be a sign of a problem with the structure of your heart or other health conditions, and over time, when they happen frequently enough, they may weaken the heart muscle. Most people who suffer from PVCs do not have any issues. They simply want to know that the fluttering or skippy heartbeats aren't typical.
Diagnosis
PVCs may be felt as fluttering or skipped heartbeats, especially when they are frequent or intense. People who get lots of them may feel they're going to faint. They can also happen with training, even though many athletes who get them don't have any problems in their heart or health. PVCs can be detected on tests such as an electrocardiogram or a Holter monitor. These patches contain sensors which record electrical impulses that come from your heart. A cardiologist may also use an ultrasound echocardiogram to examine the heart.
A doctor may be able to tell whether someone has PVCs through a medical history and physical exam. Sometimes, they may only be able to detect them when they examine the patient for other reasons, for instance following an accident or surgery. Ambulatory ECG monitors are able to detect PVCs as well as other arrhythmias. window doctors can be used to detect cardiac disease if there is any concerns.
If your cardiologist concludes that your heart is structurally healthy, reassurance could be all that's needed. If your symptoms are bothersome, or cause you to feel anxious, staying away from alcohol, caffeine, and over the prescription decongestants, as well as the reduction of stress could aid. Regular exercise and maintaining a healthy weight and drinking enough fluids can all help to reduce the frequency of PVCs. If your symptoms persist or are severe, speak to your doctor about possible medication options to treat these symptoms.
Treatment
If PVCs don't cause symptoms or are not frequent, they usually don't need treatment. If they are frequent your doctor may want to check for heart problems or suggest lifestyle adjustments. You could also have an operation to rid yourself of them (called radiofrequency catheter ablation).
If you have PVCs the electrical signal that triggers your heartbeat is generated from a place other than the sinoatrial node (SA node) in the top right corner of your heart. This could cause your heart to feel like it skips beats or has extra beats. It's not clear what causes these, but they're more common in people with other heart problems. PVCs may increase in frequency with age and might happen more frequently during exercises.
A doctor should conduct an ECG along with an echocardiogram on a patient that has frequent and painful PVCs to identify structural heart conditions. They may also perform an exercise stress test to see whether the additional beats are a result of physical exercise. A heart catheterization, cardiac MRI or nuclear perfusion studies can be performed to find other reasons for the increased beats.
Most people who suffer from PVCs are not affected and live an ordinary life. They can increase your risk for dangerous heart rhythm disorders, especially if they occur in certain patterns. In certain cases, it means the heart muscle gets weaker and is unable to pump blood throughout your body.
Regular exercise and a balanced diet can lower your chances of developing PVCs. Avoid foods high in fat and sodium and limit your intake of caffeine and tobacco. Also, you should try to get enough sleep and reduce stress. Certain medications can increase your risk for PVCs. If you're taking one of these drugs it is important to follow the doctor's advice about a healthy diet, exercise and taking your medication.
In studies of patients with PVC burdens that are excessive (more than 20% of heartbeats), a higher rate arrhythmia-induced myopathy in the heart was observed. Some patients may require a heart transplant.