How a VC Can Affect Your Heart
A lot of people experience occasional PVCs without any problems. If they occur often, PVCs may weaken your heart and increase your chance of suffering from 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 there to the lower chambers of your heart, or ventricles.
Causes
PVCs occur when the electrical impulse which normally starts your heartbeat at the Sinus Node (also called the Sinoatrial or the SA node) is not initiated. The impulse actually begins in the ventricles and causes a mistimed heartbeat. These extra beats, called ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation, may feel like your heart skipped a beat or feels fluttering. They can happen infrequently and not cause any symptoms, or they can occur frequently enough to affect your daily life. If they happen frequently or cause weakness, dizziness or fatigue, your doctor could treat them with medication.
In most people, PVCs are harmless and don't increase your risk of heart disease or other health issues. Over time, repeated PVCs can weaken the heart muscle. This is especially when the PVCs are caused by a condition like dilated cardiomyopathy and arrhythmogenic right ventricle cardiomyopathy that can cause heart failure.
PVCs can trigger symptoms such as a feeling of your heart beating one beat, or even fluttering. You might also feel breathless. The fluttering can be more apparent when you exercise or consume certain drinks or foods. People who experience chronic anxiety or stress may have more PVCs, and some drugs like amiodarone digoxin, and cocaine can increase the likelihood of developing them.
If you experience occasional PVCs Your doctor might suggest lifestyle changes and medication. If you have frequent PVCs, your doctor may recommend that you avoid certain foods and drinks like caffeine and alcohol. You can also reduce your stress, and get plenty of sleep and exercise.
If you have a lot of PVCs, he may suggest a medical treatment called radiofrequency catheter ablation. It eliminates the cells that cause PVCs. Electrophysiologists are the ones who perform this procedure. The treatment is usually effective in treating PVCs and reducing symptoms, but does not prevent them from recurring in the future. In some cases, it can increase the risk of developing atrial fibrillation (AFib) which could result in a stroke. It is not common, but it could be life-threatening.
Signs and symptoms
Premature ventricular contracts or PVCs may cause your heart to skip or flutter. These extra heartbeats can be harmless, however you might need to see your doctor in the event of frequent heartbeats or if you notice symptoms like dizziness, or fatigue.
Normally, electrical signals start at the sinoatrial junction, located in the upper right portion of the heart. They travel down to the lower chambers (or ventricles) that pump blood. Then, the ventricles contract to propel the blood into your lungs, and then return to the heart to begin the next pumping cycle. A PVC begins at a different spot that is the Purkinje fibers are located in the left side of the heart.
When PVCs occur, they cause the heart beat faster or feel as if it skipped a beat. If you experience a few episodes and no other symptoms, the doctor probably won't be able to treat you. However, if you have large number of PVCs and you have other symptoms, your doctor might recommend an electrocardiogram, or ECG, to measure the heart's rate over the course of 24 hours. The doctor may also suggest wearing a Holter Monitor which tracks the heart's rhythm and count the number of PVCs.
People who have had a previous heart attack or suffer from cardiomyopathy -an illness that affects how the heart pumps blood- should be aware of their PVCs and talk to a cardiologist about changes to their lifestyle. These include the avoidance of alcohol, caffeine, and smoking, managing stress and anxiety and ensuring adequate sleep. A cardiologist can also prescribe medication to slow heartbeat, such as beta blockers.
If you have frequent PVCs even if you do not have any other symptoms, you should consult a cardiologist. These heartbeats that are irregular could signal a problem with the structure of your lungs or heart, and if they occur often enough, they can 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 appear to be fluttering or skip heartbeats, particularly when they're frequent or intense. People who get lots of them may feel they're about to faint. They can also happen with training, even though many athletes who suffer from them don't have any problems with their heart or health. PVCs can be detected in tests such as an electrocardiogram (ECG) or Holter monitor. These patches have sensors that record electrical impulses coming from your heart. A cardiologist might also use an echocardiogram, which uses ultrasound to study the heart and observe how it's working.
A doctor is often able to tell the presence of PVCs by conducting a thorough examination and taking a medical history. Sometimes, they may not be aware of them until they examine the patient for other reasons, such as after a surgery or accident. Ambulatory ECG monitors can detect PVCs as well as other arrhythmias. They can be used to detect heart disease when there is a concern.
If your cardiologist concludes that your heart's structure is normal, reassurance is the only treatment needed. If your symptoms are causing you discomfort or cause you to feel anxious, avoiding alcohol, caffeine, and over the drug decongestants and decreasing stress can help. Regular exercise, being at a healthy weight, and drinking enough fluids can reduce your episodes of PVCs. If you are experiencing symptoms that are persistent or extreme, consult your doctor about medication that could help manage the symptoms.
Treatment
If PVCs are rare or do not cause symptoms, they do not usually require treatment. If they happen frequently your doctor may need to examine for heart problems or suggest lifestyle changes. You could also have a procedure to get rid of them (called radiofrequency catheter ablation).
If you have PVCs in your heart, the electrical signal which triggers your heartbeat starts somewhere outside of the sinoatrial (SA) node, which is located in the upper right-hand corner of your heart. This could cause it to feel like your heart skips beats or is beating faster. It's not clear what causes them, but they're more frequent in those with other heart conditions. PVCs can increase in frequency with age and might happen more frequently during exercises.
A physician should perform an ECG and an echocardiogram on a patient who has frequent and painful PVCs to determine if there are structural heart problems. They may also perform an exercise stress test to see whether the additional beats are a result of physical exercise. A heart catheterization, cardiac MRI or nuclear perfusion study can be done to look for other reasons for the extra beats.
The majority of people with PVCs do not suffer from any issues and can live a normal lifestyle. However, they can increase your risk of having dangerous heart rhythm problems particularly if you have certain patterns of them. In some cases, this means that the heart muscle gets weaker and it is more difficult to pump blood throughout your body.
Regular exercise and a healthy diet can lower your chances of developing PVCs. Avoid foods that are high in sodium and fat, and you should also limit caffeine and tobacco. Also, you should try to sleep enough and manage stress. Certain medications can increase your risk for PVCs. If window doctor take any of these medicines it is crucial to follow the advice of your doctor regarding eating a healthy diet, exercising, and taking your medication.
Studies of patients with an excessive amount of PVCs (that's more than 20% of their total heart beats) discovered that they had a higher risk of arrhythmia-induced cardiomyopathy. This can result in the need for a transplant in a few patients.