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How a VC Can Affect Your Heart
PVCs are common and can be experienced by a variety of people with no cause for concern. If they happen frequently, PVCs may weaken your heart and increase the chance of suffering from heart failure.
A bundle of fibers in the upper right-hand corner of your heart (the sinoatrial node, also known as SA) typically regulates your heart rhythm. Electrical signals travel to the ventricles or lower chambers of your heart.
Causes
PVCs are caused by the electrical impulse that normally starts your heartbeat at the Sinus Node (also called the Sinoatrial or the SA node) is not initiated. Instead, the impulse is generated in a different part of your heart--the ventricles--and causes a wrongly timed beat. These extra beats, also known as ventricular tachycardia, or ventricular fibrillation, can feel like your heart skipped a beat or is fluttering. They can happen infrequently and have no symptoms or they can occur frequently enough to interfere with your quality of life. If they are very frequent or cause dizziness, weakness, or fatigue, your doctor could treat them with medicine.
For the majority of people, PVCs are harmless and do not increase the risk of heart disease or other health issues. A lot of PVCs however, could weaken the heart muscle over time. This is particularly relevant if they are triggered by a heart condition such as dilated cardiomyopathy or arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy which may lead to symptomatic heart failure.
The symptoms of PVCs include a feeling that your heart beats slower or is fluttering, and you feel exhausted. The fluttering can be more apparent when you exercise or eat or drink certain beverages or foods. People who suffer from chronic stress or anxiety can have more PVCs, and some drugs like amiodarone digoxin, and cocaine may increase the likelihood of developing them.
If you are experiencing occasional PVCs, your doctor may suggest lifestyle changes and medication. If you have frequent PVCs, your physician may suggest that you stay away from certain drinks and foods, such as alcohol and caffeine. You can also take steps to reduce your stress, and make sure you get enough sleep and exercise.
If you have a lot of PVCs Your doctor may suggest a medical procedure known as radiofrequency catheter ablation. This procedure eliminates the cells responsible for them. Electrophysiologists are the ones who carry out this procedure. The treatment is generally successful in treating PVCs, reducing symptoms but it does not stop them from recurring in the future. In certain cases, it may increase the risk of having atrial fibrillation (AFib) which is a condition that can cause stroke. This isn't common however it could be life-threatening.
Signs and symptoms
Premature ventricular contractions or PVCs may cause your heart to skip or to flutter. These extra heartbeats are generally harmless, however, you should talk to your doctor when you experience frequent episodes or signs like dizziness or weakness.
Normally, electrical signals begin in the sinoatrial node, located in the top right portion of the heart, and travel down to the lower chambers (or ventricles) which pump blood. Then, the ventricles expand to push blood into the lungs, and return to the heart to begin the next cycle of pumping. But a Pvc doctor begins in a different location and is located in the bundle of fibers, known as the Purkinje fibers, located in the left-hand side of the window doctor heart.
When PVCs occur and the heart is affected, it may feel as if it's skipping a beat or pounding. If you experience just a few episodes but no other symptoms, the doctor will probably not treat you. But if you have a large number of PVCs the doctor may suggest an electrocardiogram, or ECG, to measure the heart's rate over the course of 24 hours. The doctor may also suggest wearing a Holter Monitor, which records your heartbeat and tracks the number of PVCs.
If you've had a previous heart attack or suffer from cardiomyopathy -an illness that affects the way that the heart pumps blood -and must be aware of their PVCs and consult a cardiologist about lifestyle changes. This includes avoiding caffeine, alcohol and smoking, managing anxiety and stress, and ensuring adequate sleep. A cardiologist might prescribe medications to slow the heartbeat, for example, a beta blocker.
If you have frequent PVCs even if do not have any other symptoms you should see a cardiologist. These extra heartbeats may indicate a problem in the structure of your heart or lungs, and if they occur often enough, they can weaken your heart muscle. However, most people with PVCs don't have any issues. They want to know if the fluttering heartbeats or skipping heartbeats is normal.
Diagnosis
PVCs might appear to be fluttering or skip heartbeats, particularly when they're frequent or intense. People who experience them regularly might feel faint. Exercise can cause them, but most athletes who experience them have no heart or health problems. PVCs may show up in tests like an electrocardiogram (ECG) or Holter monitor. These patches contain sensors that record electrical impulses from your heart. A cardiologist may also use an ultrasound echocardiogram to examine the heart.
A doctor can often tell the presence of PVCs by looking at them and taking a medical history. Sometimes, they may only notice them while examining the patient for different reasons, like after a surgery or accident. Ambulatory ECG monitoring systems can also aid in detecting PVCs and other arrhythmias and can be used in the event of any suspicion of cardiac disease.
If your cardiologist determines that your heart's structure is normal, reassurance will be the only remedy required. If your symptoms are troubling or cause you to feel anxious, avoiding alcohol, caffeine and over-the drug decongestants and the reduction of stress could aid. Regular exercise, being at a healthy weight, and drinking enough water can reduce your episodes of PVCs. If your symptoms continue or are severe, speak to your doctor about treatments that could help control them.
Treatment
If PVCs aren't causing symptoms or are not frequent they aren't usually in need of treatment. If they are frequent your doctor may want to check for heart problems or suggest lifestyle changes. You could also have a procedure to get rid of them (called radiofrequency catheter ablation).
When you have PVCs The electrical signal that causes your heartbeat is generated from a place different than the sinoatrial nerve (SA node) in the top right side of your heart. This could cause it to feel like your heart skips a beat or is beating faster. They're more common among people suffering from heart disease however, it's not clear what causes them. PVCs can increase in frequency as you age, and may occur more often during exercising.
If a patient has frequent and painful PVCs, a physician should perform an ECG and an echocardiogram to rule out heart disease that is structural. They will probably also do an exercise stress test to see if the extra beats are caused by physical exercise. A heart catheterization or cardiac MRI or nuclear perfusion studies can be performed to find other reasons for the additional beats.
The majority of people with PVCs do not have any issues and live a normal life. However, they can increase your risk of having dangerous heart rhythm problems, especially if you have certain patterns of them. In certain cases, it means that the heart muscle becomes weaker and has trouble pumping blood through your body.
Regular exercise and a balanced diet will lower your chances of developing PVCs. Avoid foods that are high in fat and sodium and limit your intake of tobacco and caffeine. Sleep and stress are also crucial. Certain medicines can also increase the risk of getting PVCs. If you're taking one of these medications it is important to follow your doctor's instructions regarding eating healthy, exercising and taking your medication.
In studies of patients with high PVC burdens (more than 20% of total heartbeats) the higher rate of arrhythmia-induced myopathy in the heart was observed. Certain people may require an organ transplant.