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Why It's Important to See a Doctor

Premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) are a type of irregular heartbeat. These extra beats are usually not risky, and they may disappear by themselves.

To diagnose PVC Doctors will listen to your heartbeat and check other vital signs. They might order a Holter monitor which tracks your heart's electrical impulses over the course of 24 hours. They can also order blood tests to determine your electrolyte levels and thyroid hormones.

Diagnosis

PVCs occur when electrical impulses coming from the heart's lower chambers, or ventricles, misfire through a structure called the SA node. This delays the next heartbeat, causing an experience of fluttering or skipped beats in the chest. PVCs can occur in isolation or in repeated patterns. Doublets are two consecutive PVCs. Ventricular tachycardia refers to three or more consecutive ones.

Some people do not experience any symptoms, while others experience palpitations. This can feel like an unsteady heartbeat or a skipping heartbeat. Other symptoms include fatigue, dizziness, or a feeling of being unwell.

Many people who experience occasional PVCs don't require any treatment. If a person has frequent episodes, doctors may suggest a change in lifestyle or diet, such as limiting alcohol, caffeine and stress. They can prescribe beta-blockers and calcium channel blockers to lower blood pressure and slow the heart rate.

Doctors will inquire about the medical history of the patient and perform a physical examination to determine their general health. They may also use an electrocardiogram (ECG) to get an image of the heart's electrical activity, or a Holter monitor that is worn for longer time periods and records the heart's rhythms over time. Doctors may order blood tests in some cases to check for electrolyte imbalances or toxic effects of drugs.

A pvc physician may refer a patient to an electrophysiologist, or a specialist in heart rhythm disorders for further evaluation. The doctor will confirm a diagnosis of PVCs and determine if they are benign or malignant.

PVCs are fairly common and rarely cause any problems unless they occur frequently over a long time. This could lead to a weakening of the heart muscle, or a condition called pvc-induced cardiomyopathy. This is most common in older people or those with some type of heart disease. It can also occur to healthy individuals with normal, normal hearts. However, it is more prevalent in people who exercise regularly. It's not a serious condition, but you should tell your doctor if symptoms such as fainting or fatigue occur.

Treatment

For many, occasional PVCs may not cause any symptoms or need no treatment. If you feel like your heart is racing or skipping the beat, it's best to see a doctor right away.

A cardiologist will first interview you and perform a physical examination by listening to your heart through the stethoscope in order to detect any irregular heartbeats. You will also undergo an electrocardiogram, which captures the electrical impulses of your heart to detect any arrhythmias. If an arrhythmia is detected it is recommended to have an all-day Holter monitor or a portable ECG will be required to record the irregular rhythm for longer durations of time. These devices will help doctors determine if you have PVCs and the reason behind them, like an electrolyte imbalance, a drug toxicity, or other factors.

An echocardiogram, also known as an ultrasound of your heart, could be ordered to assess whether your heart is healthy and check for signs of structural problems that can lead to PVCs. You could also be asked to take a stress test in order to determine how your heart reacts to exercise. Exercise can increase the frequency of pvcs. You can also have blood tests to assess your thyroid, magnesium, and potassium hormone levels to determine if they are too low which could contribute to the development of PVCs.

After your doctor has determined that you're suffering from PVCs and has ruled out any serious diseases, the decision of whether to treat them will be based on the extent to which they impact your life and the frequency at which they occur. If they occur only occasionally and do not cause symptoms then your doctor is unlikely to recommend any treatment that can decrease their frequency or severity.

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If you experience frequent PVCs that do cause heart palpitations, as well as other symptoms such as feeling lightheaded or like you're about to faint, your doctor might recommend medications like beta blockers or calcium channel blockers. Changes in your lifestyle, like cutting down on smoking, caffeine and stress, can also decrease the frequency of these abnormal pulses.

Prevention

A person might not experience any symptoms at all from PVCs or experience heart palpitations (irregular heartbeats) which can be felt as "skipped" beats or a fluttering sensation in the chest. These episodes can trigger feelings of pressure or fullness, or they may cause you to feel faint. These episodes are caused by the heart is not functioning as efficiently as it should. Frequent PVCs increase the risk of developing dilated cardiomyopathy, a condition in which the heart expands and becomes ineffective at pump blood.

PVCs are often caused by changes in the body's chemistry. These include the release of thyroid and adrenaline hormones, in addition to drinking alcohol or caffeine. A lack of exercise can trigger these episodes like stress or excessive weight.

Certain people find that altering their diet can reduce PVCs. For instance, they could avoid foods that contain preservatives that can cause a disturbance to the heartbeat, for example disodium Guanylate (E621), disodium inosinate (E627) diazole sodium (E282-283). Eat more fruits and vegetables to get enough magnesium.

Regular health checks are important and include annual physicals. These can help diagnose any heart issues that could be the cause of your PVCs. https://www.openlearning.com/u/briggsbryan-sd5akg/blog/10HealthyUpvcDoctorHabits should also not smoke and adhere to an appropriate diet program. This can increase your frequency of episodes.

A survey of healthcare workers on 14 wards of a normal hospital showed that they were generally aware of the preventive measures to avoid infections caused by vascular catheters however, their self-assessment of compliance with these practices was not great. Compliance improved following an intervention to improve feedback however, it was still lower on some of the observed wards. This suggests that education is needed on how to implement preventive measures and that wards that are less than compliant should be targeted for monitoring of infection. This information can then be used to guide the implementation of further quality improvement initiatives for these wards. This will likely require more education and training for staff. It will also involve making sure that the appropriate materials are in place for the implementing of the preventive measures.

Symptoms

If you feel that your heart is racing or fluttering, it may be due to premature ventricular contractions. These arrhythmias aren't necessarily dangerous or they can be the sign of heart problems.

In healthy people, occasional PVCs aren't a problem, and they usually go away on their own. However, if you suffer from many of them, they could lead to dizziness or weakness. Talk to your doctor if worried. They may need to determine the issue by taking an history of your medical condition and performing an examination. They may also conduct an electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) or other tests.

An ECG is a test that's quick that will allow your doctor to detect the signal of your heartbeat as it moves through your heart in an extremely short period of time. If you have PVCs, they will show in the test. Your doctor may also suggest to perform a 24- or 48-hour Holter monitor, which records your heartbeat for longer durations of time. These tests can help differentiate PVCs from arrhythmias that cause heart palpitations. You can also wear an event monitor, a portable device which keeps track of your heart's rhythm for 30 days.

Other tests for the heart may be required, based on the reason for your PVCs. A cardiologist can check your blood pressure or perform an echocardiogram (ultrasound of the heart). This can help determine whether you suffer from a condition that is the cause of your PVCs or heart valves, such as mitral valve prolapse or heart failure.

Your doctor may also have to do a blood test to see what is wrong with your electrolytes such as low potassium or high calcium levels. This can be a sign of PVCs or other conditions that could cause them, including anemia and anxiety disorders.

You could be referred to a specialist in electrophysiology, who is able to treat abnormal heart rhythms. If you suffer from heart disease that is structural the specialist may have to conduct additional tests, like an MRI or CT scan of your chest. These tests can determine if you have damage to your heart and how serious it is. In certain cases an expert may recommend pacemakers to treat the issue which is causing the PVCs.