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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. 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 node, or SA. Electrical signals are transmitted to the ventricles, or lower chambers of the heart. Causes PVCs happen when the electrical impulse that normally starts your heartbeat at the Sinus Node (also known as the Sinoatrial or SA node) is not initiated. Instead, the impulse starts in another area of your heart, the ventricles, and causes a wrongly timed beat. These extra beats, called ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation, may feel like your heart skipped a beat or is fluttering. They may occur infrequently, causing no symptoms, but they could also happen frequently enough to affect your quality of living. If they occur frequently or cause dizziness, weakness, or fatigue, your doctor might treat them with medicine. The symptoms of PVCs include a feeling that your heart beats faster or flutters, and you may feel exhausted. The fluttering can be more apparent if you exercise, or consume certain foods or beverages. People who experience chronic anxiety or stress may have more PVCs and certain drugs like amiodarone digoxin and cocaine can increase the likelihood of developing them. If you have occasional PVCs Your doctor may suggest lifestyle changes and medications. If you are prone to frequent PVCs, your doctor may recommend that you avoid certain foods and drinks such as alcohol and caffeine. You can also reduce your stress by getting enough sleep and exercising. If you have a lot of PVCs, your doctor may recommend a medical procedure referred to as radiofrequency catheter ablation. It eliminates the cells that are responsible for them. Electrophysiologists are the ones who carry out this procedure. It is usually effective in treating PVCs and reducing symptoms however it does not stop them from occurring in the future. In certain cases, it may increase the risk of atrial fibrillation (AFib) which is a condition that can cause stroke. This is rare but it could be life-threatening. Symptoms Premature ventricular contracts PVCs, also known as PVCs, can cause your heart to skip or flutter. These heartbeats can be harmless, but you should consult your physician when you experience frequent episodes or symptoms like dizziness or weakness. The electrical signals normally begin in the sinoatrial region, which is in the upper right-hand corner of the heart. They then move to the lower chambers, also known as ventricles, where blood pumps are located. Then, the ventricles expand to push blood into your lungs and then return to the heart to begin the next cycle of pumping. However, a PVC begins in a different location that is separate from the bundle of fibers, known as the Purkinje fibers in the lower left part of the heart. When PVCs occur they can make the heart feel like it is racing or pounding. If you have only a few episodes, and there are no other symptoms the cardiologist will likely not prescribe treatment. If you have many PVCs, your doctor may recommend that you undergo an electrocardiogram (ECG) to measure the heartbeat for 24 hours. He or she may also suggest wearing a Holter monitor, which will record your heartbeat over time to see how many PVCs you have. People who have suffered a heart attack in the past or have cardiomyopathy -which affects the way that the heart pumps bloodand should be aware of their PVCs and speak with an expert in cardiology about lifestyle changes. These include the avoidance of alcohol, caffeine, and smoking, reducing anxiety and stress, and getting enough rest. A cardiologist can prescribe beta blockers to slow the heartbeat. If you are experiencing frequent PVCs even if don't have any other signs, you should see a cardiologist. These extra heartbeats can indicate a problem with the structure of your heart or to other health conditions and, over time when they are frequent enough, they may weaken the heart muscle. Most people with PVCs do not have any problems. They just want to be aware that the fluttering or skipping heartbeats aren't normal. Diagnosis PVCs might appear to be fluttering or skip heartbeats, particularly when they're intense or frequent. Patients who have a lot of them may feel they're about to faint. Exercise can cause them, but most athletes who experience these symptoms do not have heart or health problems. PVCs may show up on tests such as an electrocardiogram or a Holter monitor. These patches contain sensors that record electrical impulses from your heart. A cardiologist might also use an echocardiogram, which uses ultrasound to examine the heart and observe how it's functioning. A doctor may be able to tell whether the patient is suffering from PVCs from a history and physical examination. Sometimes however, they might only notice PVCs when examining patients for a different reason, such as after an accident or surgery. Ambulatory ECG monitoring systems can also help detect PVCs and other arrhythmias and could be utilized in the event of any suspicion of heart disease. If your cardiologist has determined that your heart is structurally healthy, reassurance might be all you need. However, if your symptoms are causing discomfort or cause you to feel anxious, avoiding alcohol, caffeine and other decongestants as well as reducing stress levels can aid. Getting regular exercise, staying at a healthy weight and drinking enough water can also help reduce the frequency of PVCs. If your symptoms persist or severe, speak to your doctor about medications that could help manage these symptoms. Treatment If PVCs aren't causing symptoms or are not frequent, they usually don't need treatment. If they happen frequently your doctor may be able to look for heart issues or suggest lifestyle adjustments. You could also have an operation (called radiofrequency cathode ablation) to get rid of them. If you have PVCs The electrical signal that triggers your heartbeat begins somewhere outside of the sinoatrial node (SA node) located in the upper right corner of your heart. This could cause it to feel like your heart skips beats or is beating faster. It's not clear what causes them, but they're more common in people with other heart problems. PVCs can become more frequent as you age, and they may be more frequent during exercising.
A doctor should conduct an ECG along with an echocardiogram for a patient who has frequent and painful PVCs to determine if there are structural heart problems. The doctor will also perform an exercise stress test in order to determine if the increased heartbeats are due to physical exercise. To find out whether there are any other causes for the extra beatings, a heart catheterization or a cardiac MRI could be conducted. The majority of people who suffer from PVCs don't experience any problems and can enjoy an ordinary life. But they can increase the risk of developing dangerous heart rhythm problems especially if you are suffering from certain patterns of them. In some instances, this means that the heart muscle gets weaker and has difficulty pumping blood throughout your body. A healthy and balanced diet and a lot of exercise can help reduce your chances of developing PVCs. Avoid foods that are high in fat and sodium, and limit your consumption of caffeine and tobacco. You should also try to get enough rest and manage stress. Some medicines may also increase the risk of developing PVCs. If you're taking one of these medicines it is important to follow your doctor's recommendations about eating well, exercising and taking your medication. Studies of patients with a high burden of PVCs (that's more than 20% of their total heart beats) discovered that they had a higher rate of arrhythmia-induced cardiomyopathy. This could lead to a need for a heart transplant in certain patients. |
