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How a VC Can Affect Your Heart

Many people experience occasional PVCs with no problems. If they are frequent, PVCs may weaken your heart and increase your risk for heart failure.

A bundle of fibers in the upper right-hand corner of your heart (the sinoatrial node, also known as SA) typically controls your heart rhythm. Electrical signals travel to the ventricles, or lower chambers of the heart.

Causes

PVCs are caused when the electrical impulse that typically starts your heartbeat in a part called the sinus node (also called the sinoatrial or SA node) does not. The impulse actually begins in the ventricles, which causes a mistimed heartbeat. These extra beats are called ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation. It may feel like the heart beats faster or feels like it is fluttering. They may happen rarely and cause no symptoms, or they can occur frequently enough to interfere with your quality of life. Your doctor might prescribe medication when they occur frequently or cause dizziness, weakness or fatigue.

For the majority of people, PVCs are harmless and do not increase the risk of developing heart disease or other health problems. In time, repeated PVCs can weaken the heart muscle. This is especially true if the PVCs result from a condition like dilated cardiomyopathy and arrhythmogenic right ventricle cardiomyopathy which could lead to heart failure.

PVCs can trigger symptoms such as a feeling of your heart beating an beat, or fluttering. You might also feel breathless. The fluttering may be more apparent if you exercise, or consume certain foods or beverages. People with chronic anxiety or stress may have more PVCs, and some medications like amiodarone digoxin, and cocaine can increase the chance of developing them.

If you experience occasional PVCs Your doctor might recommend lifestyle changes and medicines. If they are a frequent occurrence, you may need to avoid some drinks and foods like alcohol and caffeine. You can also reduce stress by getting enough sleep and working out.

If you've got a lot of PVCs Your doctor might suggest a medical procedure known as radiofrequency catheter ablation, which eliminates the cells that are responsible for them. Electrophysiologists are the ones who carry out this procedure. The treatment is usually successful in treating PVCs and reducing symptoms, but does not prevent them from returning in the future. In certain cases, it may increase the risk of atrial fibrillation (AFib), which can lead to stroke. It is not common but it could be life-threatening.

Symptoms

Premature ventricular contractions, also known as PVCs, may make your heart seem to skip or flutter one beat. These heartbeats that are not normal can be harmless, but you may be advised to consult your physician in the event of frequent heartbeats or if you are experiencing symptoms like dizziness or fatigue.

The normal electrical signals start in the sinoatrial region, which is in the upper right part of the heart. They then move to the lower chambers, or ventricles, that pump blood. Then, the ventricles contract to propel blood into your lungs and return to the heart and start the next pumping cycle. But a PVC begins in a different location, from the bundle of fibers, known as the Purkinje fibers, in the left-hand side of the heart.

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When PVCs occur, they cause the heart beat or feel like it skipped the beat. If you have just 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 the doctor may recommend that you undergo an electrocardiogram (ECG) to measure the heartbeat for a period of 24 hours. He or she might also recommend wearing a Holter Monitor, which records your heart rhythm and counts the number of PVCs.

Anyone who has suffered an earlier heart attack or cardiomyopathy, an illness that affects way the heart pumps blood - should take their PVCs very seriously and consult an expert in cardiology about lifestyle changes. This includes abstaining from caffeine, alcohol, and smoking, managing stress and anxiety, and 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 other symptoms you should see an expert in cardiology. These irregular heartbeats could point to an issue with the structure of your heart or other health issues and, over time if they occur often enough, they can weaken the heart muscle. But most people suffering from PVCs do not experience any issues. They simply want to be aware that the fluttering and skipping heartbeats aren't normal.

Diagnosis

PVCs may feel like fluttering or skipped heartbeats, especially when they are frequent or intense. People who experience them regularly may feel faint. They can also occur during training, even though many athletes who experience them don't have any problems in their heart or health. https://www.repairmywindowsanddoors.co.uk/window-doctor-ashford/ may show up in tests like an electrocardiogram, or Holter monitor. They use sticky patches with sensors that record electrical impulses from your heart. A cardiologist might also use an echocardiogram, which makes use of ultrasound to study the heart and determine how it's working.

Most of the time, a doctor will be able to determine if someone has PVCs from a history and physical exam. Sometimes it is possible that they not be aware of PVCs until they examine the patient for another reason, like following an accident or a surgery. Ambulatory ECG monitoring systems can also help detect PVCs and other arrhythmias, and can be used if there's any concern of a cardiac condition.

If your cardiologist finds that your heart is structurally normal, reassurance will be the only treatment required. If your symptoms are causing you discomfort or make you feel anxious, avoiding alcohol, caffeine and other over the prescription decongestants, as well as reducing stress may aid. Regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, and drinking enough fluids can all help reduce the frequency of PVCs. If your symptoms continue or are extreme, talk to your doctor about treatments that could help control them.

Treatment

If PVCs are rare or do not cause symptoms, they do not usually need treatment. If you have them often or frequently, your doctor may wish to check for any other heart problems and recommend lifestyle changes or medication. You could also undergo an operation (called radiofrequency cathode ablation) to eliminate them.

If you suffer from PVCs in your heart, the electrical signal which creates your heartbeat is located different than the sinoatrial (SA) node located in the upper right-hand corner of your heart. This can cause your heart to feel as if it skips beats or has extra beats. PVCs are more prevalent among people suffering from heart disease however, it's not clear the reason behind them. PVCs are more likely to occur as you age, and could be more frequent during exercise.

If a patient has frequent and painful PVCs, a physician should conduct an ECG and an echocardiogram to rule out heart disease that is structural. The doctor will also conduct an exercise stress test to determine if the additional heartbeats are related to physical exercise. A heart catheterization, cardiac MRI or nuclear perfusion study can be performed to find other causes of the increased beats.

Most people who suffer from PVCs don't experience any problems and can enjoy a normal lifestyle. However, they can increase the risk of developing dangerous heart rhythm issues particularly if you have certain patterns of them. In some cases, that means that your heart muscle gets weaker and is having difficulty pumping blood through your body.

A regular, healthy diet and regular exercise can reduce the risk of developing PVCs. You should avoid foods that are high in sodium and fat and limit caffeine and tobacco. Sleep and stress are also important. Some medicines may also increase the risk of developing PVCs. If you're taking one of these medications it's crucial to follow your doctor's instructions about a healthy diet, exercise and taking your medication.

In studies of patients suffering from PVC burdens that are high (more than 20% of heartbeats) there was a higher incidence of arrhythmia-induced cardiac myopathy was found. This can lead to a need for a heart transplant in a few patients.