How a VC Can Affect Your Heart
PVCs are common and may be experienced by many people with no cause for concern. If they occur regularly, PVCs can weaken your heart muscle and increase the risk of heart failure.
The rhythm of your heart is usually controlled by a bundle of fibers that are located in the upper right part of your heart. This is known as the sinoatrial node, or SA. Electrical signals are transmitted from there to the lower chambers of your heart or ventricles.
Causes
PVCs are caused when the electrical impulse that typically initiates your heartbeat at a point called the sinus node (also known as the sinoatrial node or SA node) isn't. The impulse actually starts in the ventricles, which causes an untimed heartbeat. These extra beats are also known as ventricular tachycardia, and ventricular fibrillation. They may feel like the heart beats faster or feels like it is fluttering. They can happen infrequently and not cause any symptoms, or they can happen often enough to interfere with your quality of life. If they happen frequently or cause dizziness, weakness or fatigue, your doctor may treat them with medicine.
For the majority of people, PVCs are harmless and aren't likely to increase your risk of developing heart disease or other health issues. Over time, frequent PVCs can weaken the heart muscle. This is particularly relevant if the PVCs result from conditions like dilated cardiomyopathy and arrhythmogenic right-ventricular cardiomyopathy, which could lead to heart failure.
The signs of PVCs include a feeling that your heart skips a beat or is fluttering, and you feel exhausted. The fluttering can be more evident when you exercise or have certain drinks or food items. PVCs are more prevalent for those who suffer from chronic stress or anxiety. Certain drugs, like digoxin, amiodarone, and cocaine, can also increase their risk.
If you experience occasional PVCs Your doctor might recommend lifestyle changes and medicines. If you experience frequent PVCs, your doctor may recommend that you avoid certain foods and drinks, such as alcohol and
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If you have a lot of PVCs Your doctor might suggest a medical procedure known as radiofrequency catheter ablation. This procedure destroys the cells that cause them. Electrophysiologists are the ones who carry out this procedure. The treatment is usually successful in treating PVCs and reducing symptoms, but it does not stop them from recurring in the future. In some instances it may increase the risk of developing atrial fibrillation (AFib) which could lead to a stroke. This is rare, but it can be life-threatening.
Symptoms
Premature ventricular contractions, or PVCs, can cause your heart seem to skip or
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Normally, electrical signals start in the sinoatrial node located in the top right side of the heart. These signals descend to the lower chambers (or ventricles) that pump blood. The ventricles contract to push the blood into the lung. They return to the center to begin the next cycle of pumping. A PVC starts at a different spot, the Purkinje fibres bundle in the bottom left of the heart.
When PVCs happen and the heart is affected, it may feel as if it's racing or pounding. If you've experienced only a few episodes, but no other symptoms, your doctor probably won't be able to 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 heart rate over the course of 24 hours. The doctor might also recommend wearing a Holter monitor that records your heart rhythm over time to see how many PVCs you have.
Anyone who has suffered a heart attack in the past or suffer from cardiomyopathy -which alters the way the heart pumps blood -- must be aware of their PVCs and talk to a cardiologist about lifestyle changes. These include cutting down on caffeine, alcohol and smoking, reducing stress and anxiety, as well as getting enough rest. A cardiologist may prescribe beta blockers to slow down the heartbeat.
If you are experiencing frequent PVCs even if you do not have any other symptoms, you should consult an expert in cardiology. These irregular heartbeats could point to problems with the structure of your heart or other health conditions and, over time when they happen frequently enough, they could weaken the heart muscle. Most people who suffer from PVCs do not experience any problems. They simply want to know that the fluttering or skippy heartbeats aren't typical.
Diagnosis
PVCs can feel like heartbeats that are fluttering especially if they are frequent and intense. People who get lots of them may feel they're about to faint. They can also occur during training, even though many athletes who suffer from them don't have issues with their health or heart. PVCs can be detected in tests like an electrocardiogram (ECG) or Holter monitor. These patches contain sensors that record electrical impulses coming from your heart. A cardiologist may also perform an echocardiogram that uses ultrasound to study the heart and observe how it's working.
Often, a doctor will be able to identify if a person is suffering from PVCs from a patient's history and physical exam. However, sometimes they will only be able to detect them when they examine the patient for other reasons, for instance after a surgery or accident. Ambulatory ECG monitoring systems can also help detect PVCs and other arrhythmias, and can be used when there is a concern of a cardiac condition.
If your cardiologist finds that your heart's structure is normal, reassurance is the only treatment needed. If your symptoms are troubling or make you 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 water can also reduce your episodes of PVCs. If you are experiencing symptoms that are persistent or extreme, consult your doctor about medication that could be able to manage these symptoms.
Treatment
If PVCs aren't common or don't cause symptoms, they rarely require treatment. If you are frequently affected or frequently, your doctor may wish to look for other heart issues and suggest lifestyle changes or medications. You could also have a procedure (called radiofrequency cathode ablation) to eliminate them.
If you suffer from PVCs the electrical signal that causes your heartbeat is generated from a place different than the sinoatrial nerve (SA node) in the top right corner of your heart. It can feel like your heart skips a beat or is beating faster. PVCs are more prevalent among people with heart problems however, it's not clear what causes them. PVCs may increase in frequency as you age,
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If a patient is experiencing frequent and painful PVCs the doctor should perform an ECG and an echocardiogram to rule out heart disease that is structural. The doctor will also conduct an exercise stress test in order to determine if the additional heartbeats are due to physical exercise. A heart catheterization or cardiac MRI or nuclear perfusion studies can be conducted to determine other causes of the increased beats.
Most people with PVCs don't experience any complications and can lead an ordinary life. However, they may increase your risk of having dangerous heart rhythm problems especially if you are suffering from certain patterns of them. In some cases this means that the heart muscle gets weaker and has difficulty pumping blood throughout the body.
A regular, healthy diet and plenty of exercise can reduce the chances of developing PVCs. You should avoid foods that are high in fat and sodium as well as restrict your intake of tobacco and caffeine. Sleep and stress are also crucial. Some medicines can also increase the risk of developing PVCs. If you are taking any of these medicines, it is important to follow the advice of your doctor regarding eating a healthy diet and exercising as well as taking your medication.
Studies of patients with 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. This could lead to a need for a heart transplant in a few individuals.
