How a VC Can Affect Your Heart
A lot of people experience occasional PVCs with no problems. But if they occur frequently, PVCs can weaken your heart muscle and increase your risk of heart failure.
A bundle of fibers located in the upper right part of your heart (the sinoatrial node, also known as SA) typically controls your heart's rhythm. Electrical signals travel 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 the SA node) does not. Instead, the impulse is generated in a different part of your heart--the ventricles--and causes an untimed beat. These extra beats, also known as ventricular tachycardia, or ventricular fibrillation, can feel like your heart skipped a beat or feels like it is fluttering. They can occur rarely, causing no symptoms, but they may occur frequently enough to affect your standard of life. If they are very frequent or cause dizziness, weakness or fatigue, your doctor could treat them with medication.
PVCs are generally harmless and don't increase the risk of heart disease. Frequent PVCs however, could weaken your heart muscle over time. This is especially true if they are caused by a heart condition such as dilated cardiomyopathy arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, which can lead to symptomatic heart failure.
The symptoms of PVCs include a feeling that your heart beats slower or flutters, and you may feel exhausted. the window doctor fluttering could be more noticeable when you exercise or consume certain drinks or foods. PVCs are more prevalent for those who suffer from chronic anxiety or stress. Some medications, such as digoxin, amiodarone and cocaine, can increase the risk of developing PVCs.
If you are experiencing occasional PVCs Your doctor might recommend lifestyle changes and medicines. If they're a frequent occurrence, you may have to avoid certain foods and beverages like caffeine and alcohol. You can also take steps to reduce your stress and make sure you get enough sleep and exercise.
If you have many PVCs the doctor might suggest a medical procedure called radiofrequency catheter ablation. This destroys the cells that are responsible for PVCs. Electrophysiologists are the ones who execute this procedure. The treatment is usually effective in treating PVCs and reducing symptoms, but does not prevent them from becoming recurring in the future. In some cases it can increase the risk of atrial fibrillation (AFib), which can result in stroke. It is not common, but it could be life-threatening.
Symptoms
Premature ventricular contractions, or PVCs, can make your heart seem to skip or flutter the 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.
The electrical signals typically begin in the sinoatrial node which is in the top right-hand side of the heart, and descend to the lower chambers (or ventricles) that pump blood. The ventricles then contract to force blood into the lungs. They return to the center to start the next cycle of pumping. A PVC starts in a different location that is the Purkinje fibers are located in the left-hand side of the heart.
When PVCs occur, they can make the heart pound or feel as if it skipped a beat. If you have only just a few episodes and there are no other symptoms, your cardiologist will probably not treat you. If you've got a lot of PVCs and you have other symptoms, your doctor might recommend an electrocardiogram, or ECG to gauge your heartbeat over 24 hours. The doctor may also recommend wearing a Holter Monitor, which records your heartbeat and tracks the number of PVCs.
People who have had a prior heart attack or suffer from cardiomyopathy -- a condition that affects the way that the heart pumps blood must be aware of their PVCs and speak with a cardiologist about lifestyle changes. These include avoiding alcohol, caffeine and smoking, reducing stress and anxiety, and getting enough rest. A cardiologist may prescribe beta blockers to slow down the heartbeat.
Even if you don't have any other symptoms however, you should have PVCs examined by an cardiologist if they occur frequently. These irregular heartbeats could signal a problem with the structure of your lungs or heart, and if they occur often enough, can weaken the heart muscle. The majority of people with PVCs do not experience any problems. They simply want to be aware that the fluttering or skippy heartbeats aren't typical.
Diagnosis
PVCs may feel like heartbeats that are fluttering, especially if they are frequent and intense. People who experience them frequently may feel faint. Exercise can trigger PVCs, but a lot of athletes who suffer from them do not have heart or health problems. PVCs may show up in tests such as an electrocardiogram (ECG) or Holter monitor. These are sticky patches that have sensors on them to record electrical impulses coming from your heart. A cardiologist may also perform an echocardiogram, which uses ultrasound to study the heart and see how it's functioning.
A doctor is often able to tell whether a patient has PVCs by looking at them and taking a medical history. Sometimes however, they might not be aware of PVCs until they examine patients for a different reason, like following an accident or surgery. Ambulatory ECG monitoring systems can help detect PVCs and other arrhythmias and they might be used in the event of any suspicion of cardiac disease.
If your cardiologist finds that your heart is structurally normal, reassurance will be the only treatment required. If your symptoms are troubling or cause you to feel anxious, avoiding caffeine, alcohol and over-the-counter decongestants as well as reducing stress levels can aid. Regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight and drinking enough fluids can all help reduce the frequency of PVCs. If your symptoms persist or severe, speak to your doctor about medications that may be able to reduce these symptoms.
Treatment
If PVCs don't cause symptoms or happen rarely generally, they don't require treatment. If they occur frequently your doctor may want to check for heart problems or suggest lifestyle changes. 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 corner of your heart. This can make it feel like your heart skips beats or has extra beats. PVCs are more frequent among those who suffer from heart issues, but it's not known what causes them. PVCs can become more frequent as you age, and they may be more frequent during exercising.
If a patient is experiencing frequent and painful PVCs doctors is required to perform an ECG and an echocardiogram to rule out structural heart disease. They may also perform an exercise stress test to see whether the additional beats are caused by physical exercise. A heart catheterization or cardiac MRI or nuclear perfusion studies can be performed to find other causes for the extra beats.
Most people with PVCs are not affected and can live an ordinary life. They could increase your risk for heart rhythm disorders that can be dangerous particularly if they develop in certain patterns. In some instances, this means that the heart muscle becomes weaker and has difficulty pumping blood throughout the body.
Regular exercise and a healthy diet can reduce your risk of developing PVCs. Avoid foods high in fat and sodium and limit your consumption of caffeine and tobacco. Also, you should try to get enough sleep and manage stress. Certain medications can increase the risk of developing PVCs. If you take any of these medicines it is crucial that you follow the advice of your doctor regarding eating a healthy diet and exercising as well as taking your medication.
In studies of patients suffering from high PVC burdens (more than 20% of total heartbeats), a higher rate arrhythmia-induced cardiac myopathy was found. This can lead to a need for a heart transplant in certain people.