How a VC Can Affect Your Heart

A lot of people experience occasional PVCs with no problems. If they happen frequently, PVCs may weaken your heart and increase your risk for 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 known as the sinoatrial node or SA. Electrical signals travel to ventricles or lower chambers of your heart.

Causes

PVCs occur when the electrical impulse which normally initiates your heartbeat at the Sinus Node (also known as the Sinoatrial or the SA node) is not initiated. Instead, the impulse is generated in another area of your heart--the ventricles--and causes a wrongly timed beat. These extra beats are known as ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation. They may feel like the heart skipped a beating or feels like it is fluttering. They can happen infrequently and have no symptoms or they can occur frequently enough to interfere with your daily life. Your doctor may prescribe medication when they occur frequently or cause weakness, dizziness or fatigue.

PVCs are generally safe and do not increase the risk of heart disease. Frequent PVCs however, could weaken the heart muscle over time. This is particularly relevant if the PVCs are caused by a condition like dilated cardiomyopathy and arrhythmogenic right ventricle cardiomyopathy that can cause heart failure.

The signs of PVCs include a feeling that your heart skips a beat or it flutters. You may feel breathless. The fluttering could be more noticeable if you exercise, or consume certain beverages or foods. People who suffer from chronic anxiety or stress may have more PVCs, and some medications like amiodarone digoxin, and cocaine can increase the likelihood of developing them.

If you are experiencing occasional PVCs, your doctor may suggest lifestyle changes and medications. If they are a frequent occurrence, you may have to avoid some foods and beverages like alcohol and caffeine. You can also take steps to lessen your stress, and make sure you get enough sleep and exercise.

If you're experiencing a lot of PVCs, he may recommend a medical treatment known as radiofrequency catheter ablation, which destroys the cells that are responsible for PVCs. Electrophysiologists are the ones who carry out this procedure. The treatment is typically effective in treating PVCs and reducing symptoms, but it does not stop them from becoming recurring in the future. In some cases, it can increase the risk of developing atrial fibrillation (AFib) which could lead to stroke. This isn't common but it could be life-threatening.

Symptoms

Premature ventricular contractions or PVCs, can make your heart seem to flutter or skip the beat. These heartbeats can be harmless, however, you should consult your physician if you have frequent episodes or other symptoms such as dizziness or weakness.

Normaly, electrical signals begin in the sinoatrial, located in the upper right corner of the heart. They then move to the lower chambers, or ventricles, which pump blood. Then, the ventricles expand to push blood into the lungs, and then return to the heart and start the next pumping cycle. A Pvc doctor begins at a different spot that is the Purkinje fibers are located in the bottom left of the heart.

When PVCs occur, the heart may appear to be racing or pounding. If you have only a few episodes, but no other symptoms, your doctor will probably not treat you. If you've got a large number of PVCs the window & door doctor may recommend an electrocardiogram, also known as an ECG to determine the heart's rate over 24 hours. He or she might also recommend wearing a Holter Monitor which tracks your heart rhythm and counts the number of PVCs.

Anyone who has had a prior heart attack or suffer from cardiomyopathy -which affects how the heart pumps blood - should take their PVCs seriously and consult an expert in cardiology about lifestyle changes. Those include the avoidance of alcohol, caffeine, and smoking, managing anxiety and stress and ensuring adequate sleep. A cardiologist might also prescribe medication to slow the heartbeat like a beta blocker.

Even if you don't have any other symptoms, you should still get PVCs checked by a cardiologist if they happen often. These irregular heartbeats could indicate a problem with the structure of your heart or other health issues and, over time when they are frequent enough, they could weaken the heart muscle. But most people suffering from PVCs do not experience any issues. They just want to be aware that the fluttering and skipping heartbeats aren't normal.

Diagnosis

PVCs may feel like fluttering or skipped heartbeats, particularly when they are frequent or intense. People who experience them regularly might feel faint. They can also occur during exercise, though many athletes who get them do not have any issues in their heart or health. PVCs can be detected on tests such as an electrocardiogram or Holter monitor. These are sticky patches that have sensors to record electrical impulses from your heart. A cardiologist may also perform an echocardiogram, which makes use of ultrasound to examine the heart and determine how it's functioning.

A window & door doctor may be able to tell whether a person is suffering from PVCs through a medical history and physical examination. However, sometimes they will only be able to detect them when they examine the patient for other reasons, for instance after a surgery or accident. Ambulatory ECG monitors are able to detect PVCs and other arrhythmias. They are able to detect heart disease when there is a reason to be concerned.

If your cardiologist concludes that your heart is structurally healthy, reassurance could be all you need. If your symptoms are bothersome or make you feel anxious, avoiding alcohol, caffeine and over-the drug decongestants and the reduction of stress could aid. Regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, and drinking enough fluids can all aid in reducing the frequency of PVCs. If your symptoms persist or severe, speak to your doctor about medication that could help reduce these symptoms.

Treatment

If PVCs are rare or don't cause symptoms, they don't usually need treatment. If you are frequently affected or frequently, your doctor may wish to check for other heart conditions and recommend lifestyle changes or medication. You may also undergo an intervention to get rid of them (called radiofrequency catheter ablation).

When you have PVCs The electrical signal that triggers your heartbeat starts somewhere other than the sinoatrial node (SA node) in the top right part of your heart. This could cause your heart to feel as if it skips a beating or has additional beats. It's unclear what causes them, but they're more common in people with other heart issues. PVCs can become more frequent as you age, and may be more frequent during exercises.

If a patient experiences frequent and painful PVCs double glazing doctors should perform an ECG and an echocardiogram to determine if there is a structural heart problem. The pvc doctor near me will also likely conduct an exercise stress test in order to determine if the increased heartbeats are related to physical exercise. To determine whether there are other reasons for the extra beats, a heart catheterization or a cardiac MRI could be conducted.

The majority of people who suffer from PVCs do not suffer from any problems and can enjoy a normal lifestyle. However, they can increase the risk of developing dangerous heart rhythm issues particularly if you have certain patterns of them. In some cases this means that the heart muscle gets weaker and it is more difficult to pump blood throughout the body.

A healthy, regular diet and a lot of exercise can reduce the risk of developing PVCs. Avoid foods high in sodium and fat, and limit your intake of tobacco and caffeine. Sleep and stress are equally important. Certain medications can increase your risk of getting PVCs. If you are taking any of these medicines it is essential that you follow your doctor's advice about eating healthy exercising, as well as taking your medication.

Studies of patients suffering from a high amount of PVCs (that's more than 20 percent of their total heart beats) discovered that they had a higher incidence of arrhythmia-induced cardiomyopathy. This can result in the need for a heart transplant in some patients.