How a VC Can Affect Your Heart

A lot of people experience occasional PVCs with no problems. However, if they happen 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's rhythm. Electrical signals are transmitted from there to the lower chambers of your heart or ventricles.

Causes

PVCs are caused when the electrical impulse that normally triggers your heartbeat at the Sinus Node (also known as the Sinoatrial or SA node) does not. Instead, the impulse is generated in a different area of your heart, the ventricles, and causes an untimed beat. These extra beats, also called ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation, could feel as if your heart skipped a beat or is fluttering. They may happen rarely and have no symptoms or they can occur frequently enough to interfere with your daily life. If they occur frequently or cause dizziness, weakness or fatigue, your doctor could treat them with medication.

For the majority of people, PVCs are harmless and aren't likely to increase your risk of heart disease or other health problems. In time, repeated PVCs can weaken the heart muscle. This is particularly true if they are caused by a heart condition such as dilated cardiomyopathy or arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, which can lead to symptomatic heart failure.

PVCs can trigger symptoms such as a feeling of your heart skipping an beat, or fluttering. You may also feel exhausted. The fluttering can be more evident when you exercise or have certain drinks or foods. PVCs are more prevalent for those who suffer from chronic stress or anxiety. Some medications, such as digoxin, amiodarone and cocaine, can also increase the risk of developing PVCs.

If you have occasional PVCs Your doctor may suggest lifestyle changes and medications. If they are a regular occurrence, you may need to avoid certain drinks and foods like caffeine and alcohol. You can also lessen stress by getting enough sleep and working out.

If you have many PVCs, your doctor may suggest a medical procedure known as radiofrequency catheter ablation. This procedure eliminates the cells responsible for them. Electrophysiologists are the ones who perform this procedure. The treatment is generally successful in treating PVCs, reducing symptoms but does not prevent them from becoming recurring in the future. In some cases, it can increase the risk of developing atrial fibrillation (AFib) which could cause a stroke. It is not common, but it could be life-threatening.

Symptoms

Premature ventricular contractions, or PVCs, may make your heart seem to skip or sash window repair flutter the beat. These heartbeats that are not normal can be harmless, but you may want to consult your doctor in the event of frequent heartbeats or if you experience symptoms like dizziness, or fatigue.

Normaly, electrical signals begin in the sinoatrial, located in the upper right-hand corner of the heart. They then move to the lower chambers, also known as ventricles, where blood pumps are located. The ventricles expand to pump blood into the lung. They return to the center to begin the next cycle of pumping. A PVC begins in a different location in the Purkinje fibres bundle in the bottom left of the heart.

When PVCs happen and the heart is affected, it may appear to be skipping a beat or pounding. If you've experienced just a few episodes but no other symptoms, your doctor will probably not treat you. But if you have a number of PVCs the doctor may recommend an electrocardiogram, or ECG to gauge your heartbeat over a 24-hour period. The doctor may also recommend wearing a Holter monitor that records your heartbeat over time to determine the number of PVCs you have.

Anyone who has suffered previously from a heart attack or cardiomyopathy, an illness that affects the method by which the heart pumps blood - should take their PVCs seriously and speak to a cardiologist about lifestyle changes. Those include abstaining from alcohol, caffeine and smoking, managing anxiety and stress, and ensuring adequate sleep. A cardiologist can prescribe beta blockers to slow the heartbeat.

If you experience frequent PVCs even if don't have any other signs, you should see a cardiologist. These heartbeats that are irregular could indicate a problem in the structure of your heart or lungs, and if they occur often enough, they can weaken your heart muscle. However, most people with PVCs do not experience any issues. They would like to know if fluttering heartbeats or skipping heartbeats is normal.

Diagnosis

PVCs can be akin to heartbeats that are fluttering, particularly if they're frequent and intense. People who get lots of them may feel they're about to faint. Exercise can cause PVCs, but a lot of athletes who suffer from them do not have heart or health issues. PVCs can be detected in tests like an electrocardiogram (ECG) or Holter monitor. These are sticky patches that have sensors on them to record electrical impulses from your heart. A cardiologist could also employ an ultrasound echocardiogram to study the heart.

Most of the time, a doctor will be able to tell whether a person is suffering from PVCs through a medical history and physical exam. 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 monitoring systems also help detect PVCs and other arrhythmias and Vinyl window repair can be used when there is a concern of heart disease.

If your cardiologist concludes that your heart is structurally healthy, reassurance could be all that's needed. If your symptoms are troubling or cause you to feel anxious, avoiding alcohol, caffeine, and other decongestants and reducing stress may help. Regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, and drinking enough fluids can help reduce the frequency of PVCs. If your symptoms continue or are severe, speak with your physician about possible medications that can control them.

Treatment

If PVCs are rare or don't cause symptoms, they don't usually require treatment. If you have them often, your doctor may want to examine for any other heart problems and suggest lifestyle changes or medication. You may also undergo a procedure to get rid of them (called radiofrequency catheter ablation).

When you have PVCs, the electrical signal that triggers your heartbeat starts somewhere other than the sinoatrial node (SA node) located in the upper right side of your heart. It can feel like your heart skips beats or has extra beats. It's not known what causes these, but they're more frequent in those with other heart conditions. PVCs can increase in frequency as you age, and may occur more frequently during exercises.

A doctor should conduct an ECG along with an echocardiogram on a patient who suffers from frequent and painful PVCs to rule out structural heart diseases. The doctor will also conduct an exercise stress test in order to determine if the additional heartbeats are related to physical activity. A heart catheterization, cardiac MRI or nuclear perfusion studies can be conducted to determine other causes of the increased beats.

Most people with PVCs don't experience any complications and can lead a normal lifestyle. But they can increase your risk of having dangerous heart rhythm problems particularly if you have certain patterns of them. In certain cases, it means that your heart muscle gets weaker and is having difficulty pumping blood through your body.

A healthy and balanced diet and plenty of exercise can help reduce your risk of developing PVCs. Avoid foods high in fat and sodium, and limit your intake of tobacco and caffeine. Sleep and stress are also crucial. Certain medications can increase your risk of PVCs. So if you take one of these medicines, it's 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 the total heartbeats) the higher rate of arrhythmia-induced cardiac myopathy was found. Some patients may require an organ transplant.