How a VC Can Affect Your Heart
PVCs are common and may be experienced by a wide range of people without causing any problems. If they are frequent, PVCs may weaken your heart and increase the risk of heart failure.
The rhythm of your heart is usually controlled by a group of fibers that are located in the upper right-hand part of your heart. This is called the sinoatrial nerve, or SA. Electrical signals travel from there to the lower chambers of your heart or ventricles.
Causes
PVCs happen by the electrical impulse that normally triggers your heartbeat at the Sinus Node (also known as the Sinoatrial or SA node) does not. The impulse actually starts in the ventricles, which causes an untimed heartbeat. These extra beats, known as ventricular tachycardia, or ventricular fibrillation, can feel like your heart skipped a beat or feels fluttering. They may happen rarely and cause no symptoms, or they can occur frequently enough to impact your daily life. If they are very frequent or cause dizziness, weakness, or fatigue, your doctor may treat them with medicine.
PVCs are generally safe and do not increase your risk of heart disease. In time, frequent PVCs can weaken the heart muscle. This is particularly relevant if they are triggered by a heart-related condition such as dilated cardiomyopathy arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy which could lead to symptoms of heart failure.
The signs of PVCs include a feeling that your heart beats slower or flutters, and you may feel breathless. The fluttering may be more evident when you exercise or eat or drink certain drinks or foods. PVCs are more common in those suffering from chronic anxiety or stress. Some drugs, like digoxin, amiodarone and cocaine, can increase the risk.
If you have occasional PVCs Your doctor might suggest lifestyle changes and medication. If they are a regular occurrence, you may have to avoid certain drinks and foods like caffeine and alcohol. You can also reduce your stress levels by getting enough sleep and working out.
If you have many PVCs, your doctor may suggest a medical procedure known as radiofrequency catheter ablation, which destroys the cells that cause them. Electrophysiologists are the ones who execute this procedure. It is usually successful in treating the PVCs and reducing symptoms, however, it doesn't prevent them from occurring in the future. In certain instances, it can increase the risk of atrial fibrillation (AFib), a condition that can lead to stroke. It's not common, but it can be life-threatening.
Signs and symptoms
Premature ventricular contractions, or PVCs, can make your heart seem to flutter or skip one beat. These heartbeats can be harmless, but it is important to talk to your doctor if you have frequent episodes or signs like dizziness or weakness.
The electrical signals normally begin in the sinoatrial area, which is located in the upper right-hand part of the heart. They then travel to the lower chambers, or ventricles, which pump blood. The ventricles expand to push blood into your lungs and then return to the heart to start the next pumping cycle. A PVC begins at a different spot that is 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 one beat. 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 number of PVCs the doctor may suggest an electrocardiogram, or ECG, to measure the heart's rate over a 24-hour period. The doctor may also recommend wearing a Holter monitor that records your heart rhythm over time to determine how many PVCs you have.
People who have suffered a heart attack in the past or have cardiomyopathy -an illness that affects the way that the heart pumps blood - should be aware of their PVCs and consult an expert in cardiology about lifestyle changes. These include avoiding alcohol, caffeine and smoking, reducing stress and anxiety, as well as getting enough rest. A cardiologist can prescribe beta blockers to slow the heartbeat.
Even if you don't experience any other symptoms it is still recommended to have PVCs checked by a cardiologist if they happen frequently. These heartbeats that are irregular could indicate a problem in the structure of your heart or lungs and if they occur often enough, it could weaken your heart muscle. The majority of people with PVCs do not have any issues. They simply want to be aware that the fluttering and racing heartbeats aren't normal.
Diagnosis
PVCs may feel like fluttering or skipped heartbeats, especially when they are frequent or intense. People who experience them often may feel weak. They can also occur with exercising, but most athletes who suffer from them don't have issues with their health or heart. PVCs could show up in tests such as an electrocardiogram (ECG) or Holter monitor. These patches contain sensors that record electrical impulses from your heart. A cardiologist could also employ an ultrasound echocardiogram to study the heart.
A doctor can often tell whether a patient has PVCs by examining them and taking their medical history. Sometimes however, they might only be able to detect PVCs when they examine the patient for another reason, like following an accident or surgery. Ambulatory ECG monitoring systems can help detect PVCs and other arrhythmias and could be utilized in the event of any suspicion of cardiac disease.
If your cardiologist determines your heart is structurally healthy, reassurance might be all that's needed. If your symptoms are troubling or make you feel anxious, staying away from alcohol, caffeine and other over the prescription decongestants, as well as the reduction of stress could aid. Regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, and drinking enough fluids can help to reduce the frequency of PVCs. If your symptoms are persistent or severe, speak to your doctor about medication that may be able to reduce these symptoms.
Treatment
If PVCs are rare or don't cause symptoms, they rarely require treatment. If they happen frequently, your doctor might want to check for heart issues or suggest lifestyle changes. You may also undergo an intervention to get rid of them (called radiofrequency catheter ablation).
If window doctor suffer from PVCs in your heart the electrical signal that creates your heartbeat is located different than the sinoatrial (SA) node that is located in the upper right-hand corner of your heart. This could cause your heart to feel as if it skips a beating or has additional beats. It's unclear what causes them, but they're more frequent in those with other heart problems. PVCs may increase in frequency with age and might happen more often during exercise.
A doctor should conduct an ECG and an echocardiogram on a patient that suffers from frequent and painful PVCs to identify structural heart conditions. The doctor will also likely conduct an exercise stress test to determine if the increased heartbeats are caused by physical exercise. To find out whether there are any other causes for the increased beats the heart catheterization or cardiac MRI is possible.
The majority of people with PVCs are not affected and can live an ordinary life. They can increase your risk for heart rhythm disorders that can be dangerous particularly if they develop in certain patterns. In certain cases, it means that your heart muscle gets weaker and is having difficulty pumping blood through your body.
Regular exercise and a healthy diet can lower your risk of developing PVCs. Avoid foods that are high in fat and sodium as well as restrict your intake of tobacco and caffeine. You should also try to sleep enough and reduce stress. Some medicines may also increase your risk of getting PVCs. If you take any of these medicines it is crucial that you follow the advice of your doctor regarding healthy eating exercising, as well as taking your medication.
Studies of patients with an excessive amount of PVCs (that's more than 20% of their total heart beats) found that they had a higher rate of arrhythmia-induced cardiomyopathy. Certain people may require an organ transplant.