How a VC Can Affect Your Heart

Many people experience occasional PVCs with no problems. If they happen frequently, PVCs may weaken your heart and increase the risk for heart failure.

The heart's rhythm is controlled by a group of fibers that are located in the upper right corner of your heart. This is known as the sinoatrial nerve, or SA. Electrical signals travel from there to the lower chambers of your heart or ventricles.

Causes

PVCs are caused when the electrical impulse that normally starts your heartbeat in a part known as the sinus node (also called the sinoatrial node or SA node) doesn't. The impulse actually begins in the ventricles, which causes an untimed heartbeat. These extra beats, also called ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation, can feel like your heart skipped a beat or feels like it's fluttering. They may occur infrequently, causing no symptoms, but they could also happen frequently enough to affect your quality of living. If they occur frequently or cause dizziness, weakness or fatigue, your doctor might treat them with medicine.

PVCs are generally harmless and don't increase your risk of heart disease. A lot of PVCs however, may weaken the heart muscle over time. This is especially relevant if they are triggered by a heart-related condition like dilated cardiomyopathy, or arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy which could lead to symptoms of heart failure.

PVCs can cause symptoms, such as a sensation of your heart beating an beat, or the feeling of your heart fluttering. You may also feel breathless. The fluttering may be more noticeable when you exercise or have certain drinks or foods. People with chronic anxiety or stress may have more PVCs and certain medications such as amiodarone, digoxin and cocaine can increase the chance of developing them.

If you are experiencing occasional PVCs your glazing doctor may recommend lifestyle changes and medications. If they're a frequent occurrence, you may need to avoid certain drinks and foods like caffeine and alcohol. You can also take steps to lessen your stress and make sure you get enough sleep and exercise.

If you have many PVCs, your doctor may recommend a medical procedure referred to as radiofrequency catheter ablation, which eliminates the cells responsible for them. Electrophysiologists are the ones who carry out this procedure. It is generally effective in treating PVCs and reducing symptoms however, it doesn't prevent them from recurring in the future. In certain cases, it may increase the risk of developing atrial fibrillation (AFib) which is a condition that can lead to stroke. This is rare but can be life-threatening.

Signs and symptoms

Premature ventricular contractions or PVCs, can cause your heart seem to skip or flutter the beat. These heartbeats that are not normal can be harmless, however you might be advised to consult your physician when they occur frequently or if you notice symptoms like dizziness, or fatigue.

Normaly, electrical signals begin in the sinoatrial area, which is located in the upper right part of the heart. They then move to the lower chambers, or ventricles, which pump blood. Then, the ventricles contract to propel blood into your lungs, and return to the heart to begin the next pumping cycle. A pvc Doctor begins at a different spot in the Purkinje fibres bundle in the left side of the heart.

When PVCs occur, they can make the heart beat faster or feel like it skipped a beat. If you experience a few episodes and no other symptoms, the doctor will probably not treat you. But if you have a lot of PVCs and you have other symptoms, your doctor might recommend an electrocardiogram, also known as an ECG to determine the heart's rate over 24 hours. The doctor may also suggest wearing a Holter monitor that records the heart's rhythm over time, allowing you to see the number of PVCs you have.

If you've had a prior heart attack or have cardiomyopathy -- a condition that affects the way that the heart pumps bloodand should take their PVCs seriously and speak with a cardiologist about changes to their lifestyle. Those include abstaining from alcohol, caffeine and smoking, reducing anxiety and stress, and getting enough rest. A cardiologist may also prescribe medication to slow heartbeat, like a beta blocker.

Even if there aren't any other symptoms, you should still get PVCs checked by an expert in cardiology if they occur frequently. These heartbeats that are irregular can point to an issue with the structure of your heart or to other health conditions, and over time, when they are frequent enough, they can weaken the heart muscle. The majority of people with PVCs do not experience any issues. They simply want to know that the fluttering or skippy heartbeats aren't typical.

Diagnosis

PVCs can be akin to heartbeats that flutter, especially if they are frequent and intense. People who experience a lot of them might feel like they're about to faint. Exercise can trigger them, but most athletes who experience them have no heart or health problems. PVCs could show up in tests such as an electrocardiogram (ECG) or Holter monitor. These patches contain sensors which record electrical impulses that come from your heart. A cardiologist might also use an echocardiogram that uses ultrasound to look at the heart and observe how it's functioning.

A doctor may be able to tell whether a person is suffering from PVCs through a medical history and physical examination. But sometimes they might only be able to detect them when they examine the patient for other reasons, such as after an accident or surgery. Ambulatory ECG monitors are able to detect PVCs, as well as other arrhythmias. They can be used to identify cardiac problems in the event of any reason to be concerned.

If your cardiologist concludes that your heart's structure is normal, reassurance is the only treatment required. If your symptoms are bothersome or make you feel anxious, avoiding caffeine, alcohol and over-the-counter decongestants and reducing stress may aid. Regular exercise and maintaining a healthy weight, and drinking enough fluids can all help to reduce the frequency of PVCs. If your symptoms continue or are severe, talk to your pvc doctor near me about treatments that could help control these symptoms.

Treatment

If PVCs are rare or don't cause symptoms, they don't usually need treatment. If you have them often and frequently, your window & door doctor might want to check for other heart issues and suggest lifestyle changes or medications. You may also undergo a procedure (called radiofrequency cathode ablation) to eliminate them.

If you suffer from PVCs The electrical signal that triggers your heartbeat begins somewhere other than the sinoatrial node (SA node) located in the upper right corner of your heart. It can feel like your heart skips beats or has extra beats. They're more common among people who suffer from heart issues however it's unclear what causes them. PVCs may increase in frequency as you age, and could be more frequent during exercises.

If a patient is experiencing frequent and painful PVCs doctors should perform an ECG and an echocardiogram to rule out structural heart disease. The doctor will also perform an exercise stress test in order to determine if the increased heartbeats are due to physical exercise. To find out whether there are other reasons for the extra beats, a heart catheterization or a cardiac MRI can be performed.

Most people with PVCs have no complications and can live an ordinary life. However, they may increase the risk of developing dangerous heart rhythm problems particularly if you have certain patterns of them. In some cases, this means that the heart muscle becomes weaker and has difficulty pumping blood throughout your body.

A regular, healthy diet and regular exercise can help reduce your risk 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 PVCs. If you take any of these medicines it is essential that you follow the advice of your doctor about eating healthy exercising, as well as taking your medication.

Studies of patients who had a high burden of PVCs (that's more than 20 percent of their total heart beats) discovered that they had a higher rate of arrhythmia-induced cardiomyopathy. Some people may need an organ transplant.