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How a VC Can Affect Your Heart

PVCs are commonplace and can be experienced by a wide range of people without causing any problems. If they happen frequently, PVCs may weaken your heart and increase your risk for heart failure.

The heart's rhythm is controlled by a group of fibers that are located in the upper right-hand corner of your heart. This is called the sinoatrial node, or SA. Electrical signals are transmitted from there to the lower chambers of your heart, or ventricles.

Causes

PVCs occur when the electrical impulse that normally begins your heartbeat in a part known as the sinus node (also called the sinoatrial or SA Node) does not. The impulse actually begins in the ventricles and causes an untimed heartbeat. These extra beats are also known as ventricular tachycardia, and ventricular fibrillation. It may feel like the heart beats faster or feels fluttering. They may occur infrequently and not cause any symptoms, but they may also happen frequently enough to affect your standard of life. Your doctor might prescribe medication in the event that they are frequent or cause weakness, dizziness or fatigue.

For the majority of people, PVCs are harmless and don't increase your risk of heart disease or other health issues. In time, repeated PVCs can weaken the heart muscle. This is particularly true if the PVCs result from a condition like dilated cardiomyopathy and arrhythmogenic right-ventricular cardiomyopathy, which could lead to heart failure.

The symptoms of PVCs include feeling like your heart skips a beat or flutters, and you may feel exhausted. The fluttering could be more apparent when you exercise or have certain foods or drinks. People who suffer from chronic anxiety or stress can have more PVCs and certain medications like amiodarone digoxin, and cocaine can increase the likelihood of developing them.

If you have occasional PVCs your doctor might suggest lifestyle changes and medication. If they are a frequent occurrence, you may have to avoid certain foods and beverages like caffeine and alcohol. You can also lower stress by getting enough sleep and exercising.

If you're suffering from many PVCs, he may suggest a medical treatment called radiofrequency catheter ablation, which destroys cells that cause PVCs. Electrophysiologists are the ones who perform this procedure. It is usually effective in treating PVCs and reducing symptoms but it doesn't stop them from recurring in the future. In some cases it may increase the risk of developing atrial fibrillation (AFib) which could cause stroke. It is not common but it could be life-threatening.

Symptoms

Premature ventricular contractions, also known as PVCs, can make your heart seem to flutter or skip a beat. These extra heartbeats are harmless, but you may need to see your doctor when they occur frequently or if you experience symptoms like dizziness, or fatigue.

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Normally, electrical signals start at the sinoatrial junction, which is in the top right side of the heart, and descend to the lower chambers (or ventricles) that pump blood. The ventricles expand to push the blood into the lung. They return to the center to start the next cycle of pumping. However, a PVC begins in a different location, from the bundle of fibers called the Purkinje fibers, located in the lower left part of the heart.

When PVCs occur, they make the heart beat or feel as if it skipped a beat. If you only have just a few episodes and there are no other symptoms your cardiologist may not prescribe treatment. However, if http://www.electrotutor.com/members/goosegirl6/activity/136400/ have lot of PVCs the doctor may suggest an electrocardiogram, or ECG to determine the heart's rate over a 24-hour period. They may also suggest wearing a Holter monitor, which will record the heart's rhythm over time to see how many PVCs you have.

People who have had a prior heart attack or have cardiomyopathy -- a condition that affects how the heart pumps blood - should take their PVCs seriously and talk to a cardiologist about changes to their lifestyle. Those include the avoidance of alcohol, caffeine, and smoking, managing anxiety and stress and ensuring adequate sleep. A cardiologist can prescribe medications to slow heartbeat, for example, beta blockers.

Even if there aren't any other signs it is still recommended to have PVCs checked by an expert in cardiology if they occur frequently. These irregular heartbeats could indicate a problem in the structure of your heart or lungs, and if they occur frequently enough, can weaken your heart muscle. Most people who suffer from PVCs do not have any issues. They would like to know if irregular heartbeats or fluttering is normal.

Diagnosis

PVCs can feel like heartbeats that are fluttering, especially if they are frequent and intense. People who experience them regularly might feel faint. They can also happen with exercising, but most athletes who suffer from them don't have issues with their heart or health. PVCs may show up in tests like an electrocardiogram, or Holter monitor. These patches contain sensors that record electrical impulses from your heart. A cardiologist could also employ an echocardiogram that uses ultrasound to examine the heart and observe how it's working.

A doctor can often tell whether a patient has PVCs by conducting a thorough examination and taking a medical history. Sometimes it is possible that they only notice PVCs when examining the patient for another reason, like following an accident or a surgery. Ambulatory ECG monitoring systems also assist in detecting PVCs and other arrhythmias, and they might be used when there is a concern of cardiac disease.

If your cardiologist concludes that your heart is structurally normal, reassurance is the only treatment needed. If your symptoms are causing you discomfort, or cause you to feel anxious, staying away from alcohol, caffeine, and over the prescription decongestants, as well as reducing stress may aid. Regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight and drinking enough fluids can help to reduce the frequency of PVCs. If the symptoms persist or are severe, speak to your doctor about treatments that could help control these symptoms.

Treatment

If PVCs are rare or don't cause symptoms, they don't usually need treatment. If you experience them frequently and frequently, your doctor might want to check for other heart conditions and suggest lifestyle changes or medications. You could also undergo an operation (called radiofrequency cathode ablation) to eliminate of them.

If you have PVCs in your heart the electrical signal that causes your heartbeat begins somewhere other than at the sinoatrial (SA) node located in the upper right corner of your heart. This can make it feel like your heart skips beats or has extra beats. PVCs are more frequent among those who suffer from heart issues, but it's not known the reason behind them. PVCs can increase in frequency as you age, and may occur more often during exercising.

If a patient is experiencing frequent and painful PVCs doctors is required to perform an ECG and an echocardiogram to determine if there is a structural heart problem. The doctor may also conduct an exercise stress test to determine if the increased heartbeats are due to physical exercise. To find out whether there are other reasons for the extra beatings an invasive heart catheterization or cardiac MRI is possible.

The majority of people with PVCs do not suffer from any issues and can live a normal lifestyle. They may increase the risk of heart rhythm disorders that can be dangerous, especially if they occur in certain patterns. In some cases, that means the heart muscle gets weaker and is unable to pump blood throughout your body.

A healthy and balanced diet and regular exercise can reduce the chances of developing PVCs. Avoid foods that are high in fat and sodium, and you should also restrict your intake of tobacco and caffeine. It is also important to get enough rest and manage stress. Some medicines can also increase the risk of getting PVCs. If you are taking any of these medications it is essential that you follow your doctor's recommendations about eating healthy exercising, as well as taking your medication.

Studies of patients who had a high amount of PVCs (that's more than 20 percent of their total heart beats) found that they had a higher incidence of arrhythmia-induced cardiomyopathy. This can lead to a need for a heart transplant in a few individuals.