How a VC Can Affect Your Heart
A lot of people experience occasional PVCs and have no issues. If they occur often, PVCs may weaken your heart and increase the risk for heart failure.
The rhythm of your heart is controlled by a bundle of fibers located in the upper right part of your heart. This is known as the sinoatrial nerve, or SA. Electrical signals travel from this node to the lower heart chambers or ventricles.
Causes
PVCs occur when the electrical impulse that normally starts your heartbeat at the Sinus Node (also called the Sinoatrial or the SA node) does not. The impulse actually starts in the ventricles, which causes a mistimed heartbeat. These extra beats, also known as ventricular tachycardia, or ventricular fibrillation, can feel like your heart skipped a beat or is fluttering. They can happen infrequently, causing no symptoms, but they can also happen frequently enough to affect your standard of living. If they happen frequently or cause weakness, dizziness, or fatigue, your doctor may treat them with medication.
PVCs are generally safe and do not increase your risk of developing heart disease. Over time, repeated PVCs can weaken the heart muscle. This is especially the case if they are caused by a heart condition such as dilated cardiomyopathy or arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, which may lead to symptomatic heart failure.
PVCs can cause symptoms like a feeling of your heart beating an beat, or fluttering. It is also possible to feel breathless. The fluttering can be more noticeable when you exercise or have certain foods or drinks. People with chronic stress or anxiety can have more PVCs and certain medications such as amiodarone, digoxin and cocaine can increase the likelihood of developing them.
If you are experiencing occasional PVCs your doctor may recommend lifestyle changes and medications. If you experience frequent PVCs, your doctor may recommend avoiding certain foods and drinks such as caffeine and alcohol. You can also reduce your stress, and take advantage of plenty of rest and exercise.
If you have many 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. The treatment is generally successful in treating PVCs, reducing symptoms but does not prevent them from returning in the future. In certain instances, it can increase the risk of atrial fibrillation (AFib) which is a condition that can cause stroke. This is rare but can be life-threatening.
Symptoms
Premature ventricular contractions, or PVCs, can cause your heart appear to flutter or skip one beat. These extra heartbeats are usually harmless, but you should talk to your doctor when you experience frequent episodes or other symptoms such as dizziness or weakness.
Normally, electrical signals start at the sinoatrial junction, located in the top right side of the heart, and move down to the lower chambers (or ventricles) which pump blood. The ventricles then contract to pump blood into the lungs. They return to the center to begin the next cycle of pumping. A PVC starts in a different place in the Purkinje fibres bundle in the left side of the heart.
When PVCs happen and the heart is affected, it may appear to be racing or pounding. If you experience a few episodes and no other symptoms, the doctor probably won't be able to treat you. But if you have a large number of PVCs and you have other symptoms, your doctor might recommend an electrocardiogram, also known as an ECG, to measure the heart's rate over the course of 24 hours. The doctor may also suggest wearing a Holter monitor, which will record the heart's rhythm over time to determine the number of PVCs you have.
Anyone who has suffered an earlier heart attack or cardiomyopathy - an illness that affects the method by which the heart pumps blood - should take their PVCs seriously and consult a cardiologist regarding lifestyle changes. These include abstaining from caffeine, alcohol, and smoking, reducing stress and anxiety, and getting enough rest. A cardiologist may also prescribe medication to slow the heartbeat for example, a beta blocker.
Even if you don't have any other signs however, you should have PVCs examined by an expert in cardiology if they occur often. These irregular heartbeats could indicate an issue with the structure of your heart or to other health conditions and, over time, if they occur often enough, they may weaken the heart muscle. Most people who suffer from PVCs do not experience any issues. They are interested in knowing if the rapid heartbeats, or the skipping of heartbeats is normal.
Diagnosis
PVCs might be felt as fluttering or skipped heartbeats, especially when they are frequent or intense. People who experience them frequently may feel faint. They can also occur during training, even though many athletes who get them don't have issues with their heart or health. PVCs can be detected on tests such as an electrocardiogram or a Holter monitor. They have sensors which record electrical impulses that come from your heart. A cardiologist may also perform an echocardiogram that uses ultrasound to study the heart and see how it's functioning.
Most of the time, a doctor will be able to tell whether someone has PVCs from a history and physical exam. Sometimes however, they might only be able to detect PVCs when they examine the patient for another reason, such as after an accident or surgical procedure. Ambulatory ECG monitors are able to detect PVCs and other arrhythmias. They can be used to identify cardiac problems when there is a reason to be concerned.
If your cardiologist determines that your heart is structurally normal, reassurance will be the only treatment needed. If your symptoms are troubling, or cause you to feel anxious, staying away from alcohol, caffeine and over-the counter decongestants, and reducing stress may help. Regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, and drinking enough fluids can all aid in reducing the frequency of PVCs. If your symptoms are persistent or severe, talk to your physician about the medications that could help manage the symptoms.
Treatment
If PVCs don't cause symptoms or occur rarely generally, they don't require treatment. If they happen frequently, your doctor might be able to look for heart problems or suggest 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 causes your heartbeat is generated from a place outside of the sinoatrial node (SA node) located in the upper right part of your heart. This could cause your heart to feel like it skips a beating or has extra beats. It's not clear what causes these, but they're more common in people with other heart issues. PVCs may increase in frequency as we age and can occur more frequently during exercising.
If a patient experiences frequent and painful PVCs, a physician should conduct an ECG and an echocardiogram to rule out heart disease that is structural. They should also conduct an exercise stress test to determine whether the additional beats are due to physical exercise. A heart catheterization, cardiac MRI or nuclear perfusion study can be performed to find other causes of the additional beats.
Repair My Windows And Doors of people who suffer from PVCs are not affected and live an ordinary life. But they can increase the risk of developing dangerous heart rhythm issues especially if you are suffering from 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 can lower your risk of developing PVCs. Avoid foods that are high in fat and sodium and limit your intake of caffeine and tobacco. You should also try to get enough sleep and manage stress. Certain medicines can also increase the risk of developing PVCs. If you're taking one of these medications it's crucial to follow the doctor's advice about a healthy diet, exercise and taking your medication.
Studies of patients with a high burden of PVCs (that's more than 20 percent of their total heart beats) found that they had a higher incidence of arrhythmia-induced cardiomyopathy. Some patients may require an organ transplant.