How a VC Can Affect Your Heart

PVCs are common and can be experienced by many people with no cause for concern. If they occur often, PVCs may weaken your heart and increase your chance of suffering from heart failure.

The rhythm of your heart is usually controlled by a bundle of nerve fibers situated in the upper right corner of your heart. This is known as the sinoatrial node or SA. Electrical signals travel to ventricles, or lower chambers of the heart.

Causes

PVCs happen by 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 starts in another area of your heart called the ventricles and triggers a mistimed beat. These extra beats, called ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation, could feel as if your heart skipped a beat, or it feels like it is like it is fluttering. They can occur infrequently and have no symptoms or they may occur frequently enough to impact your daily life. Your doctor may prescribe medicine in the event that they are frequent or cause weakness, dizziness or fatigue.

PVCs are generally safe and do not increase the risk of heart disease. Regular PVCs however, may weaken your heart muscle over time. This is particularly true if the PVCs are caused by conditions like dilated cardiomyopathy and arrhythmogenic right ventricle cardiomyopathy which could lead to heart failure.

PVCs can cause symptoms such as a feeling of your heart racing a beat, or the feeling of your heart fluttering. You may also feel exhausted. The fluttering could be more evident when you exercise or have certain drinks or food items. PVCs are more common in people with chronic anxiety or stress. Certain medications, such as digoxin, amiodarone and cocaine, may increase the risk of developing PVCs.

If you experience occasional PVCs your doctor may recommend lifestyle changes and medication. If you are prone to frequent PVCs, your window doctor might suggest that you stay away from certain foods and drinks, such as caffeine and alcohol. You can also lower your stress by getting enough sleep and exercising.

If you have many PVCs Your doctor may suggest a medical procedure called radiofrequency catheter ablation, which destroys the cells that cause them. The procedure is carried out by a specialist known as an electrophysiologist. The treatment is usually successful in treating PVCs which reduce symptoms, but it does not stop them from becoming recurring in the future. In some cases it can increase the risk of having atrial fibrillation (AFib), an illness that can lead to stroke. It is not common, but it could be life-threatening.

Signs and symptoms

Premature ventricular contractions PVCs, also known as PVCs, can cause your heart to skip or be fluttering. These extra heartbeats can be harmless, however you might need to see your doctor if they are frequent or if you are experiencing symptoms like dizziness or fatigue.

The normal electrical signals start in the sinoatrial, located in the upper right corner of the heart. They then move to the double glazing doctor lower chambers, also known as ventricles, where blood pumps are located. The ventricles contract to force blood into the lung. They return to the heart's center to start the next cycle of pumping. But a pvc doctor starts in a different place that is separate from the bundle of fibers, known as the door doctor near me Purkinje fibers, located in the bottom left portion of the heart.

When PVCs occur, they can make the heart beat or feel like it skipped one beat. If you have just a few episodes but no other symptoms, your doctor probably won't be able to treat you. If you've got a lot of PVCs, your doctor may recommend that you undergo an electrocardiogram (ECG) to measure the heartbeat over the course of 24 hours. The doctor might also recommend wearing a Holter monitor that will track your heartbeat over time to determine the number of PVCs you have.

Anyone who has suffered a previous heart attack or cardiomyopathy - an illness that affects heart's blood flow - should take their PVCs seriously and speak to a cardiologist about lifestyle modifications. This includes cutting down on caffeine, alcohol and smoking, managing anxiety and stress, and getting enough rest. A cardiologist may prescribe medications to slow the heartbeat like a beta blocker.

Even if there aren't any other symptoms, you should still get PVCs checked by an cardiologist if they occur frequently. These heartbeats that are irregular can be a sign of a problem with the structure of your heart or other health conditions and, over time, when they are frequent enough, they could weaken the heart muscle. But the majority of people suffering from PVCs do not experience any issues. They simply want to know that the fluttering or racing 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 might feel faint. Exercise can trigger PVCs, but a lot of athletes who experience them have no heart or health issues. PVCs may show up in tests like an electrocardiogram (ECG) or Holter monitor. They use sticky patches with sensors that record electrical impulses coming from your heart. A cardiologist could also employ an echocardiogram that uses ultrasound to examine the heart and see how it's working.

Most of the time, a doctor will be able to identify if a person is suffering from PVCs from a patient's history and physical examination. Sometimes however, they might not be aware of PVCs until they examine patients for a different reason such as following an accident or a surgery. Ambulatory ECG monitors are able to detect PVCs, as well as other arrhythmias. They are able to identify cardiac problems if there is any concern.

If your cardiologist determines your heart is structurally healthy, reassurance might be all you need. If your symptoms are bothersome or make you be anxious, avoiding alcohol, caffeine and over-the drug decongestants and the reduction of stress could aid. Getting regular exercise, staying at a healthy weight, and drinking enough fluids can decrease the likelihood of PVCs. If the symptoms persist or are severe, talk to your doctor about medications that can control these symptoms.

Treatment

If PVCs do not cause any symptoms or occur rarely generally, they don't require treatment. If they are frequent your doctor may need to examine for heart conditions or recommend lifestyle adjustments. You could also have an intervention to get rid of them (called radiofrequency catheter ablation).

If you have PVCs, the electrical signal that triggers your heartbeat is generated from a place outside of the sinoatrial node (SA node) in the top right corner of your heart. This could cause it to feel like your heart skips beats or is beating faster. PVCs are more prevalent among people suffering from heart disease however it's unclear the reason behind them. PVCs can become more frequent as you age, and they may be more frequent during exercise.

If a patient has frequent and painful PVCs doctors is required to perform an ECG and an echocardiogram to rule out structural heart disease. The doctor will also conduct an exercise stress test in order to determine if the additional heartbeats are caused by physical exercise. A heart catheterization or cardiac MRI or nuclear perfusion study can be performed to find other reasons for the increased beats.

Most people with PVCs do not have any issues and can live a normal life. However, they can increase the risk of developing dangerous heart rhythm problems, especially if you have certain patterns of them. In some cases, that means the heart muscle gets weaker and has trouble pumping blood through your body.

A healthy, regular diet and plenty of exercise can help reduce your chances of developing PVCs. Avoid foods that are high in sodium and fat, and limit your intake of caffeine and tobacco. It is also important to sleep enough and reduce stress. Some medicines can also increase the risk of developing PVCs. If you're taking one of these medicines it is important to follow your doctor's instructions about a healthy diet, exercise and taking your medication.

Studies of patients suffering from an excessive amount of PVCs (that's more than 20% of their total heart beats) found that they had a higher incidence of arrhythmia-induced cardiomyopathy. This could lead to the need for a heart transplant in a few patients.