How a VC Can Affect Your Heart
PVCs are commonplace and can be experienced by many people without causing any issues. But if they occur frequently, PVCs can weaken your heart muscle and increase your risk of heart failure.
The rhythm of your heart is usually controlled by a bundle of nerve fibers situated in the upper right-hand corner of your heart. This is called the sinoatrial node or SA. Electrical signals travel to the lower heart chambers or ventricles.
Causes
PVCs occur when the electrical impulse that normally starts your heartbeat in a part known as the sinus node (also called the sinoatrial or SA node) isn't. Instead, the impulse is generated in a different area of your heart, the ventricles, and causes an untimed beat. These extra beats, called ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation, could feel as if your heart skipped a beat, or it feels like it is like it's fluttering. They can happen infrequently, causing no symptoms, but they can be frequent enough to affect your quality of life. Your doctor may prescribe medicine in the event that they are frequent or cause dizziness, weakness or fatigue.
PVCs are generally harmless and do not increase the risk of heart disease. Over time, repeated PVCs can weaken the heart muscle. This is especially when the PVCs result from conditions like dilated cardiomyopathy and arrhythmogenic right ventricle cardiomyopathy that can lead to heart failure.
The signs of PVCs include a feeling that your heart beats faster or flutters, and you may feel breathless. The fluttering may be more apparent when you exercise or consume certain foods or beverages. PVCs are more prevalent in people with chronic anxiety or stress. Certain medications, such as digoxin, amiodarone or cocaine, may increase the risk.
If you are experiencing occasional PVCs your doctor may recommend lifestyle changes and medications. If they are a regular occurrence, you may have to stay clear of certain drinks and foods like alcohol and caffeine. You can also lessen your stress by having enough sleep and exercising.
If you've got a lot of PVCs Your doctor might recommend a medical procedure referred to as radiofrequency catheter ablation, which destroys the cells that cause them. Electrophysiologists are the ones who carry out this procedure. It is generally effective in treating PVCs and reducing symptoms, but it doesn't stop them from recurring in the future. In certain cases it may increase your risk of atrial fibrillation (AFib), which can result in stroke. It is not common, but it can be life-threatening.
Symptoms
Premature ventricular contractions or PVCs may cause your heart to skip or to flutter. These heartbeats can be harmless, however, you should talk to your doctor when you experience frequent episodes or signs like dizziness or weakness.
Normaly, electrical signals begin in the sinoatrial, located in the upper right-hand part of the heart. They then travel to the lower chambers, also known as ventricles, which pump blood. The ventricles expand to push blood into your lungs and return to the heart to begin the next pumping cycle. A PVC begins in a different place, the Purkinje fibers are located in the left-hand side of the heart.
When PVCs occur, they can make the heart beat or feel as if it skipped a beat. If you only have one or two episodes, and there are no other symptoms your cardiologist may not treat you. If you've got a lot of PVCs, the doctor may recommend an electrocardiogram, or ECG, to measure your heart rate over the course of 24 hours. The doctor might also recommend wearing a Holter monitor that will track your heart rhythm over time, allowing you to see the number of PVCs you have.
Anyone who has had a previous heart attack or suffer from cardiomyopathy -an illness that affects how the heart pumps blood -- should take their PVCs seriously and consult a cardiologist about changes to their lifestyle. Those include avoiding caffeine, alcohol and smoking, managing stress and anxiety and getting enough rest. A cardiologist might prescribe medications to slow the heartbeat like a beta blocker.
If you have frequent PVCs, even if you do not have other signs, you should see a cardiologist. These irregular heartbeats could be a sign of an issue with the structure of your heart or other health conditions, and over time, 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.
window doctor can feel like heartbeats that are fluttering, particularly if they're frequent and intense. People who experience a lot of them may feel they're going to faint. They can also occur with training, even though many athletes who experience them don't have issues with their health or heart. PVCs could show up in tests like an electrocardiogram (ECG) or Holter monitor. These patches contain sensors that record electrical impulses coming from your heart. A cardiologist can also perform an ultrasound echocardiogram for examining the heart.
A doctor may be able to tell whether someone is suffering from PVCs from a history and physical examination. However, sometimes they will only notice them while examining the patient for other reasons, such as 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 a cardiac condition.
If your cardiologist concludes that your heart is structurally healthy, reassurance may be all you need. If your symptoms are bothersome or make you feel anxious, staying away from alcohol, caffeine, and over the prescription decongestants, as well as reducing stress may help. Engaging in regular exercise, keeping at a healthy weight and drinking enough water can help reduce the frequency of PVCs. If your symptoms continue or are extreme, talk to your doctor about medication options to treat these symptoms.
Treatment
If PVCs aren't common or don't cause symptoms, they do not usually require treatment. If you have them often or frequently, your doctor may wish to check for other heart conditions and suggest lifestyle changes or medication. You could also have a procedure to get rid of them (called radiofrequency catheter ablation).
If you have PVCs the electrical signal that triggers your heartbeat starts somewhere different than the sinoatrial nerve (SA node) located in the upper right side of your heart. This could cause your heart to feel like it skips beats or has extra beats. They're more common among people suffering from heart disease however, it's not clear what causes them. PVCs can become more frequent as you age, and may be more frequent during exercise.
If a patient has frequent and painful PVCs the doctor is required to perform an ECG and an echocardiogram to rule out heart disease that is structural. The doctor will also perform an exercise stress test in order to determine if the increased heartbeats are caused by physical exercise. To determine whether there are any other causes for the increased beats, a heart catheterization or a cardiac MRI is possible.
The majority of people with PVCs don't experience any complications and can lead an ordinary life. But they can increase your risk of having dangerous heart rhythm problems particularly if you have certain patterns of them. In some instances, this means that the heart muscle becomes weaker and is unable to pump blood throughout your body.
A healthy, regular diet and a lot 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. Some medicines may also increase your risk for PVCs. So if you take one of these medicines, it's important to follow your doctor's recommendations about a healthy diet, exercise and taking your medication.
Studies of patients suffering from a high 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. This can result in the need for a transplant in some people.