How a VC Can Affect Your Heart
PVCs are common and may be experienced by a variety of people without causing any issues. If they occur often, PVCs may weaken your heart and increase your risk of heart failure.
The rhythm of your heart is controlled by a group of nerve fibers situated in the upper right part of your heart. This is known as the sinoatrial node or SA. Electrical signals travel to lower heart chambers or ventricles.
Causes
PVCs happen when the electrical impulse that typically starts your heartbeat in a part called the sinus node (also called the sinoatrial node or SA node) isn't. The impulse actually begins in the ventricles and causes an untimed heartbeat. These extra beats are known as ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation. It may feel like the heart skipped a beating or feels fluttering. They may happen rarely and cause no symptoms, or they can occur frequently enough to interfere with your quality of life. If they occur frequently or cause weakness, dizziness or fatigue, your doctor may treat them with medication.
PVCs are generally harmless and do not increase the risk of heart disease. A lot of PVCs however, could weaken the heart muscle over time. This is particularly the case 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 sensation of your heart beating a beat, or fluttering. You may also feel exhausted. The fluttering may be more noticeable when you exercise or eat or drink certain foods or beverages. 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 suggest lifestyle changes and medications. If they are a frequent occurrence, you may need to avoid some foods and beverages, such as alcohol and caffeine. You can also take steps to lessen your stress, and get plenty of sleep and exercise.
If you have lots of PVCs, he may suggest a medical procedure called radiofrequency catheter ablation. the window doctor eliminates the cells that cause PVCs. Electrophysiologists are the ones who carry out this procedure. The treatment is generally effective in treating PVCs, reducing symptoms but does not prevent them from becoming recurring in the future. In some instances it may increase the risk of developing atrial fibrillation (AFib) which can lead to stroke. It is not common however it could be life-threatening.
Symptoms
Premature ventricular contractions or PVCs may cause your heart to skip or to flutter. These heartbeats that are not normal can be harmless, but you might need to see your doctor if they are frequent or if you notice symptoms like dizziness, or fatigue.
Normaly, electrical signals begin in the sinoatrial region, which is in the upper right part of the heart. They then travel to the lower chambers, or ventricles, which pump blood. Then, the ventricles contract to propel the blood into your lungs, and then return to the heart and start the next pumping cycle. A PVC starts in a different location in the Purkinje fibers are located in the left-hand side of the heart.
When PVCs occur and the heart is affected, it may appear to be beating faster or slower. If you experience only just a few episodes and there are no other symptoms, your cardiologist will probably not treat you. If you've got a large number of PVCs the doctor may recommend an electrocardiogram, or ECG to gauge your heart rate over 24 hours. They might also recommend wearing a Holter monitor, which will record your heart rhythm over time to determine how many PVCs you have.
People who have suffered previously from a heart attack or have suffered from cardiomyopathy - an illness that affects method by which the heart pumps blood - should take their PVCs very seriously and speak to an expert in cardiology about lifestyle changes. This includes avoiding alcohol, caffeine and smoking, managing stress and anxiety, as well as getting enough rest. A cardiologist can prescribe medication to slow heartbeat, like a beta blocker.
Even if there aren't any other signs it is still recommended to have PVCs checked by a cardiologist if they happen frequently. These extra heartbeats may signal a problem with the structure of your heart or lungs, and if they occur often enough, it could weaken the heart muscle. But most people with PVCs don't have any issues. They want to know if the rapid heartbeats, or the skipping of heartbeats is normal.
Diagnosis
PVCs might be felt as fluttering or skipped heartbeats, particularly when they're intense or frequent. People who experience them regularly may feel faint. They can also occur during training, even though many athletes who get them don't have any problems with their health or heart. PVCs can be detected in tests such as an electrocardiogram (ECG) or Holter monitor. These patches have sensors which record electrical impulses that come from your heart. A cardiologist may also use an ultrasound echocardiogram to study the heart.
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. But sometimes they might only be able to detect them when they examine the patient for other reasons, for instance following an accident or surgery. Ambulatory ECG monitors can detect PVCs and other arrhythmias. They may be used to identify cardiac problems in the event of any reason to be concerned.
If your cardiologist concludes that your heart is structurally healthy, reassurance might be all that's needed. If your symptoms are bothersome, or cause you to be anxious, avoiding alcohol, caffeine and other over the prescription decongestants, as well as decreasing stress can aid. Engaging in regular exercise, keeping at a healthy weight, and drinking enough fluids can reduce your episodes of PVCs. If your symptoms persist or severe, talk to your physician about the medications that may be able to control them.
Treatment
If PVCs are rare or do not cause symptoms, they do not usually need treatment. If you have them often and frequently, your doctor might want to look for other heart conditions and recommend lifestyle changes or medications. You could also have an operation to rid yourself of them (called radiofrequency catheter ablation).
If you have PVCs in your heart, the electrical signal which causes your heartbeat begins somewhere outside of the sinoatrial (SA) node, which is located in the upper right corner of your heart. It can feel like your heart skips a beat or is beating faster. It's not clear what causes them, but they're more common in people who have other heart problems. PVCs are more likely to occur as you age, and they might occur more frequently during exercising.
If a patient has frequent and painful PVCs doctors is required to perform an ECG and an echocardiogram to rule out heart disease that is structural. The doctor will also likely conduct an exercise stress test to determine if the increased heartbeats are caused by physical activity. A heart catheterization, cardiac MRI or nuclear perfusion studies can be done to look for other causes of the additional beats.
The majority of people who suffer from PVCs do not suffer from any complications and can lead a normal lifestyle. However, they can increase your risk of having dangerous heart rhythm issues particularly if you have certain patterns of them. In some instances, this means that the heart muscle gets weaker and is unable to pump blood throughout the body.
A healthy, regular diet and plenty of exercise can reduce the chances of developing PVCs. Avoid foods high in fat and sodium and limit your consumption of caffeine and tobacco. Stress and sleep are also important. Certain medications can increase your risk of getting PVCs. If you take any of these medicines, it is important that you follow your doctor's advice regarding eating a healthy diet, exercising, and taking your medication.
Studies of patients who had an excessive amount of PVCs (that's more than 20 percent of their total heart beats) discovered that they had a higher risk of arrhythmia-induced cardiomyopathy. Some patients may require a heart transplant.