How a VC Can Affect Your Heart

Many people have occasional PVCs with no problems. If they occur often, PVCs may weaken your heart and increase your risk of heart failure.

The rhythm of your heart is usually controlled by a group of nerve fibers situated in the upper right-hand part of your heart. This is called the sinoatrial node or SA. Electrical signals are transmitted from there to the lower heart chambers, or ventricles.

Causes

PVCs happen when the electrical impulse that normally starts your heartbeat at the Sinus Node (also known as the Sinoatrial or SA node) does not. The impulse actually begins in the ventricles, which causes an untimed heartbeat. These extra beats are also called ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation. It may feel like the heart beats faster or feels like it is fluttering. They may happen rarely and have no symptoms or they can occur frequently enough to impact your daily life. If they happen frequently or cause dizziness, weakness, or fatigue, your doctor could treat them with medication.

PVCs are generally harmless and do not increase the risk of heart disease. Over time, frequent PVCs can weaken the heart muscle. This is especially when the PVCs are triggered by an illness like dilated Cardiomyopathy and arrhythmogenic right ventricle cardiomyopathy that could lead to heart failure.

The symptoms of PVCs include a feeling that your heart beats slower or is fluttering, and you feel exhausted. The fluttering may be more apparent when you exercise or consume certain foods or drinks. PVCs are more common in people with chronic stress or anxiety. Some medications, like digoxin, amiodarone or cocaine, can increase the risk.

If you experience occasional PVCs Your doctor might recommend lifestyle changes and medicines. If they're a frequent occurrence, you may need to avoid some drinks and foods, such as alcohol and caffeine. You can also take steps to reduce your stress and make sure you get enough sleep and exercise.

If you have a lot of PVCs Your doctor might suggest a medical procedure called radiofrequency catheter ablation, which eliminates the cells responsible for them. Electrophysiologists are the ones who execute this procedure. It is typically effective in treating PVCs and reducing symptoms, however, it doesn't prevent them from occurring in the future. In certain cases, it may increase the risk of atrial fibrillation (AFib) which is an illness that can result in stroke. This isn't common but it could be life-threatening.

Symptoms

Premature ventricular contractions, also known as PVCs, may make your heart appear to flutter or skip one beat. These heartbeats can be harmless, but you should consult your physician when you experience frequent episodes or symptoms like dizziness or weakness.

The electrical signals typically begin at the sinoatrial junction, which is in the top right portion of the heart. They descend to the lower chambers (or ventricles) which pump blood. Then, the ventricles contract to propel the blood into your lungs and return to the heart to start the next pumping cycle. But a PVC starts in a different place, from the bundle of fibers, known as the Purkinje fibers in the left-hand side of the heart.

When PVCs occur, they can make the heart beat faster or feel like it skipped a beat. If you experience a few episodes and no other symptoms, your doctor probably won't be able to treat you. But if you have a number of PVCs the doctor may recommend an electrocardiogram, or ECG to determine your heart rate over a 24-hour period. The doctor may also recommend wearing a Holter Monitor, which records your heart rhythm and counts the number of PVCs.

Anyone who has suffered an earlier heart attack or have suffered from cardiomyopathy - an illness that affects the method by which the heart pumps blood - must take their PVCs seriously and consult a cardiologist about lifestyle modifications. These include the avoidance of alcohol, caffeine, and smoking, reducing anxiety and stress and ensuring adequate sleep. A cardiologist may also prescribe medication to slow heartbeat, such as beta blockers.

If you experience frequent PVCs even if do not have any other signs, you should see a cardiologist. These irregular heartbeats could point to an issue with the structure of your heart or other health issues and, over time if they occur often enough, they can weaken the heart muscle. The majority of people with PVCs do not experience any problems. They are interested in knowing if the irregular heartbeats or fluttering is normal.

Diagnosis

PVCs can appear to be fluttering or skip heartbeats, especially if they're intense or frequent. Patients who have a lot of them may feel they're about to faint. Exercise can trigger PVCs, but a lot of athletes who experience them have no heart or health issues. PVCs may show up on tests such as an electrocardiogram, or Holter monitor. These patches contain sensors that record electrical impulses coming from your heart. A cardiologist could also employ an echocardiogram, which makes use of ultrasound to study the heart and observe how it's working.

Most of the time, a doctor will be able to tell whether someone is suffering from PVCs from a patient's history and physical exam. Sometimes however, they might only be able to detect PVCs when they examine a patient for another reason such as following an accident or surgery. Ambulatory ECG monitoring systems can assist in detecting PVCs and other arrhythmias and can be used in the event of any suspicion of a cardiac condition.

If your cardiologist determines that your heart's structure is normal, reassurance will be the only treatment required. If your symptoms are troubling or make you feel anxious, avoiding alcohol, caffeine and other over the prescription decongestants, as well as reducing stress may aid. Regular exercise, being at a healthy weight, and drinking enough water can help reduce the frequency of PVCs. If the symptoms persist or are extreme, talk to your doctor about medications that can control the symptoms.

Treatment

If PVCs do not cause any symptoms or occur rarely generally, they don't require treatment. If they occur frequently your doctor may be able to look for heart conditions or recommend lifestyle modifications. You may also undergo a procedure to get rid of them (called radiofrequency catheter ablation).

If you have PVCs the electrical signal that causes your heartbeat is generated from a place outside of the sinoatrial node (SA node) located in the upper right side of your heart. This can cause your heart to feel like it skips a beating or has extra beats. It's unclear what causes these, but they're more frequent in those with other heart conditions. PVCs may increase in frequency as you age, arched basement window repair repair (http://www.stes.Tyc.edu.tw/xoops/modules/Profile/userinfo.php?uid=1690338) and could be more frequent during exercise.

A physician should perform an ECG along with an echocardiogram on a patient who has frequent and painful PVCs to identify structural heart conditions. The doctor will also perform an exercise stress test to determine if the extra heartbeats are caused by physical exercise. To find out whether there are any other causes for the extra beats an invasive heart catheterization or an MRI could be conducted.

Most people who suffer from PVCs have no complications and can lead a normal life. They may increase the risk of developing dangerous heart rhythm disorders particularly if they happen in certain patterns. In certain cases, it means that your heart muscle gets weaker and is unable to pump blood through your body.

Regular exercise and a balanced diet can reduce your chances of developing PVCs. Avoid foods that are high in sodium and fat and reduce your intake of caffeine and tobacco. Stress and sleep are also important. Certain medicines can also increase the risk of getting PVCs. If you're taking one of these medications 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 total heartbeats), a higher rate arrhythmia-induced cardiac myopathy was found. Some patients may require a heart transplant.