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How a VC Can Affect Your Heart
Many people experience occasional PVCs and have no issues. But if they occur frequently, PVCs can weaken your heart muscle and increase your risk of heart failure.
The rhythm of your heart is controlled by a bundle of fibers located in the upper right-hand part of your heart. This is called the sinoatrial nerve, or SA. Electrical signals are transmitted from there to the lower chambers of your heart or ventricles.
Causes
PVCs happen when the electrical impulse which normally starts your heartbeat at the Sinus Node (also known as the Sinoatrial or the SA node) is not initiated. The impulse actually starts in the ventricles, causing an untimed heartbeat. These extra beats are known as ventricular tachycardia, and ventricular fibrillation. It may feel like the heart skipped a beating or feels fluttering. They may happen rarely and have no symptoms or they may occur frequently enough to impact your quality of life. If they happen frequently or cause dizziness, weakness or fatigue, your doctor could treat them with medicine.
For the majority of people, PVCs are harmless and aren't likely to increase your risk of heart disease or other health issues. Over time, repeated PVCs can weaken the heart muscle. This is especially true if they are caused by a heart condition such as dilated cardiomyopathy or arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, which may lead to symptomatic heart failure.
PVCs can trigger symptoms such as a feeling of your heart skipping an beat, or the feeling of your heart fluttering. You may also feel breathless. The fluttering could be more apparent when you exercise or have certain drinks or food items. People with chronic stress or anxiety can have more PVCs and certain medications like amiodarone digoxin and cocaine can increase the chance of developing them.
If you are experiencing occasional PVCs your doctor might suggest lifestyle changes and medication. If you have frequent PVCs, your doctor might recommend that you avoid certain foods and drinks, like caffeine and alcohol. You can also take steps to reduce your stress and take advantage of plenty of rest and exercise.
If you have many PVCs, your doctor may recommend a medical procedure referred to as radiofrequency catheter ablation. It destroys the cells that cause them. This is done by a specialist called an electrophysiologist. The treatment is generally effective in treating PVCs, reducing symptoms but does not prevent them from recurring in the future. In certain cases it may increase the risk of developing atrial fibrillation (AFib), which can lead to a stroke. It is not common, but it could be life-threatening.
Signs and symptoms
Premature ventricular contractions, also known as PVCs, may make your heart seem to flutter or skip the beat. These heartbeats that are not normal can be harmless, but you may want to consult your doctor in the event of frequent heartbeats or if you notice symptoms like dizziness or fatigue.
Normally, electrical signals start in the sinoatrial node, located in the top right side of the heart. They travel down to the lower chambers (or ventricles) that pump blood. The ventricles expand to force blood into the lung. They then return to the center to start the next cycle of pumping. But a PVC begins in a different place and is located in the bundle of fibers called the Purkinje fibers, in the left-hand side of the heart.
When PVCs occur and the heart is affected, it may feel like it is racing or pounding. If you have only a few episodes, but no other symptoms, your doctor probably won't be able to treat you. But if you have a lot of PVCs the doctor may recommend an electrocardiogram, or ECG to gauge your heartbeat over 24 hours. He or she might also recommend wearing a Holter Monitor that records the heart's rhythm and count the number of PVCs.
Anyone who has had a prior heart attack or have cardiomyopathy -- a condition that alters the way the heart pumps blood should be aware of their PVCs and consult a cardiologist about changes to their lifestyle. These include abstaining from caffeine, alcohol, and smoking, managing anxiety and stress, and getting enough rest. A cardiologist may also prescribe medication to slow the heartbeat for example, beta blockers.
Even if you don't have any other signs, you should still get PVCs checked by an cardiologist if they occur often. These extra heartbeats can indicate a problem with the structure of your heart or to other health conditions and, over time, when they happen frequently enough, they may weaken the heart muscle. But the majority of people suffering from PVCs do not experience any issues. They simply want to be aware that the fluttering or racing heartbeats aren't normal.
Diagnosis
PVCs may feel like heartbeats that are fluttering, especially if they are frequent and intense. Patients who have a lot of them might feel like they're going to faint. They can also happen with exercising, but most athletes who suffer from them do not have any issues with their heart or health. PVCs can be detected in tests like an electrocardiogram (ECG) or Holter monitor. They use sticky patches with sensors that record electrical signals from your heart. A cardiologist may also use an ultrasound echocardiogram for examining the heart.
A doctor is often able to tell if a patient has PVCs by examining them and taking their medical history. Sometimes it is possible that they not be aware of PVCs until they examine a patient for another reason, such as after an accident or a surgery. Ambulatory ECG monitoring systems also assist in detecting PVCs and other arrhythmias and can be used if there's any concern of a cardiac condition.
If your cardiologist has determined that your heart is structurally healthy, reassurance might be all that's needed. If your symptoms are bothersome or cause you to feel anxious, avoiding alcohol, caffeine, and other decongestants as well as reducing stress levels can help. Regular exercise and maintaining a healthy weight and drinking enough fluids can all help reduce the frequency of PVCs. If your symptoms persist or extreme, consult your doctor about medications that could be able to control them.
Treatment
If PVCs aren't causing symptoms or are not frequent generally, they don't require treatment. If you are frequently affected or frequently, your glass doctor near me may wish to check for other heart conditions and recommend lifestyle changes or medicine. You might also get an intervention to get rid of them (called radiofrequency catheter ablation).
If you suffer from PVCs in your heart, the electrical signal which causes your heartbeat begins somewhere different than the sinoatrial (SA) node located in the upper right-hand corner of your heart. This can make it feel like your heart skips beats or has a few extra beats. They're more common among people suffering from heart disease however, it's not clear the reason behind them. PVCs may increase in frequency with age and might happen more frequently during exercising.
If a patient experiences frequent and painful PVCs the doctor should conduct an ECG and an echocardiogram to rule out heart disease that is structural. The doctor will also likely conduct an exercise stress test in order to determine if the increased heartbeats are caused by physical activity. A heart catheterization, cardiac MRI or nuclear perfusion study can be performed to find other causes of the additional beats.
Most people with PVCs do not experience any problems and can enjoy a normal lifestyle. However, they may increase the risk of developing dangerous heart rhythm issues especially if you are suffering from certain patterns of them. In certain cases, it means that your heart muscle gets weaker and is having difficulty pumping blood through your body.
A healthy and balanced diet and a lot of exercise can reduce the chances of developing PVCs. Avoid foods high in fat and sodium, and limit your consumption of tobacco and caffeine. Also, you should try to get enough rest and manage stress. Certain medications can increase your risk of PVCs. If you take any of these medicines, it is important to follow your doctor's recommendations regarding eating a healthy diet exercising, as well as taking your medication.
In studies of patients suffering from high Pvc Doctor burdens (more than 20% of heartbeats), a higher rate arrhythmia-induced cardiac myopathy was discovered. This could lead to the need for a transplant in certain people.
