How a VC Can Affect Your Heart
PVCs are commonplace and can be experienced by a variety of people without causing any problems. 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 the heart's rhythm. Electrical signals travel to ventricles, or lower chambers of the heart.
Causes
PVCs are caused when the electrical impulse that normally starts your heartbeat at the Sinus Node (also known as the Sinoatrial or SA node) does not. The impulse actually begins in the ventricles, which causes an irregular heartbeat. These extra beats, called ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation, could feel as if your heart skipped a beat, or it feels like it is like it's fluttering. They may happen rarely and not cause any symptoms, or they can occur frequently enough to impact your quality of life. If they happen frequently or cause weakness, dizziness, or fatigue, your doctor might treat them with medicine.
PVCs are generally safe and do not increase your risk of heart disease. A lot of PVCs however, could weaken the heart muscle over time. This is particularly true if the PVCs are caused by an illness like dilated Cardiomyopathy and arrhythmogenic right ventricle cardiomyopathy that can lead to heart failure.
The signs of PVCs include a feeling that your heart beats faster or it flutters. You may feel breathless. The fluttering may be more noticeable when you exercise or eat or drink certain foods or beverages. People who suffer from 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 may recommend lifestyle changes and medication. If they are a frequent occurrence, you may have to stay clear of certain drinks and foods like caffeine and alcohol. You can also lower stress by having enough sleep and working out.
If you have lots of PVCs the doctor might suggest a medical procedure called radiofrequency catheter ablation. It destroys the cells that are responsible for PVCs. This is done by a specialist called an electrophysiologist. The treatment is usually effective in treating PVCs, reducing symptoms but it does not stop them from becoming recurring in the future. In certain cases it may increase the risk of developing atrial fibrillation (AFib), which can lead to stroke. It is not common, but it can be life-threatening.
Symptoms
Premature ventricular contracts PVCs, also known as PVCs, can cause your heart to skip or to flutter. These extra heartbeats can be harmless, however you might be advised to consult your physician if they are frequent or if you notice symptoms like dizziness, or fatigue.
Normally, electrical signals start in the sinoatrial node, located in the top right-hand side of the heart, and move down to the lower chambers (or ventricles) that pump blood. Then, the ventricles contract to propel the blood into your lungs, and return to the heart to begin the next cycle of pumping. But a PVC begins in a different place that is separate from the bundle of fibers called the Purkinje fibers in the bottom left portion of the heart.
When PVCs occur and the heart is affected, it may appear to be beating faster or slower. If you only have a few episodes, and no other symptoms are present the cardiologist will likely not treat you. If you have many PVCs, your doctor may recommend that you undergo an electrocardiogram (ECG) to monitor your heartbeat for a period of 24 hours. They may also recommend wearing a Holter monitor, which will record your heart rhythm over time to determine how many PVCs you have.
If you've had a prior heart attack or suffer from cardiomyopathy -which affects how the heart pumps bloodand should take their PVCs seriously and speak with a cardiologist about lifestyle changes. Those include abstaining from alcohol, caffeine and smoking, managing anxiety and stress, and getting enough sleep. A cardiologist may prescribe medication to slow the heartbeat for example, beta blockers.
Even if you don't experience any other signs it is still recommended to have PVCs examined by an expert in cardiology if they occur frequently. These irregular heartbeats could indicate a problem in the structure of your lungs or heart, and if they occur often enough, they can weaken the heart muscle. But window doctors near me of people suffering from PVCs don't experience any problems. They simply want to know that the fluttering or skippy heartbeats aren't typical.
Diagnosis
PVCs might appear to be fluttering or skip heartbeats, especially when they're intense or frequent. People who get lots of them may feel they're going to faint. They can also occur with training, even though many athletes who experience them don't have any problems with their heart or health. PVCs may show up in tests such as an electrocardiogram (ECG) or Holter monitor. These use sticky patches with sensors that record electrical impulses coming from your heart. A cardiologist might also use an echocardiogram that uses ultrasound to look at the heart and see how it's working.
A doctor will usually be able to determine whether a patient has PVCs by looking at them and taking a medical history. But sometimes they might only notice them while examining the patient for different reasons, like after a surgery or accident. Ambulatory ECG monitoring systems can also assist in detecting PVCs and other arrhythmias and could be utilized in the event of any suspicion of heart disease.
If your cardiologist determines that your heart's structure is normal, reassurance will be the only treatment needed. If your symptoms are troubling or cause you to feel anxious, staying away from alcohol, caffeine and over-the counter decongestants, and the reduction of stress could help. Regular exercise and maintaining a healthy weight and drinking enough fluids can all aid in reducing the frequency of PVCs. If the symptoms persist or are severe, talk to your doctor about medication options to treat these symptoms.
Treatment
If PVCs don't cause symptoms or are not frequent, they usually don't need treatment. If you are frequently affected and frequently, your doctor might want to examine for other heart issues and suggest lifestyle changes or medications. You could also have an intervention to get rid of them (called radiofrequency catheter ablation).
If you suffer from PVCs, the electrical signal that triggers your heartbeat starts somewhere outside of the sinoatrial node (SA node) in the top right side of your heart. This could cause it to feel like your heart skips a beat or has a few extra beats. It's not known what causes them, but they're more common in people with other heart problems. PVCs can increase in frequency with age and might happen more often during exercising.
If a patient has frequent and painful PVCs, a physician should perform an ECG and an echocardiogram to rule out structural heart disease. The doctor will also perform an exercise stress test in order to determine if the increased heartbeats are caused by physical exercise. To determine whether there are other reasons for the increased beats an invasive heart catheterization or cardiac MRI could be conducted.
The majority of people who suffer from PVCs do not experience any problems and can enjoy an ordinary life. However, they can increase your risk of having 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.
Regular exercise and a balanced diet can lower your chances of developing PVCs. You should avoid foods that are high in fat and sodium, and you should also restrict your intake of tobacco and caffeine. You should also try to get enough rest and manage stress. Certain medicines can also increase the risk of getting PVCs. If you are taking any of these medicines it is essential that you follow your doctor's recommendations regarding healthy eating and exercising as well as taking your medication.
In studies of patients suffering from high PVC burdens (more than 20% of total heartbeats) the higher rate of arrhythmia-induced myopathy in the heart was observed. This can result in the need for a heart transplant in certain individuals.