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 occur often, PVCs may weaken your heart and increase the risk for heart failure.

The rhythm of your heart is usually controlled by a group of fibers that are located in the upper right part of your heart. This is called the sinoatrial node or SA. Electrical signals travel from this node to the lower heart chambers or ventricles.

Causes

PVCs happen when the electrical impulse that usually initiates your heartbeat at a point known as the sinus node (also called the sinoatrial or SA Node) doesn't. Instead, the impulse begins in another area of your heart--the ventricles--and causes a mistimed beat. These extra beats, also known as ventricular tachycardia, or ventricular fibrillation, could feel as if your heart skipped a beat or feels like it is fluttering. They may happen rarely and cause no symptoms, or they can occur frequently enough to interfere with your quality of life. Your doctor may prescribe medication in the event that they are frequent or cause dizziness, weakness or fatigue.

PVCs are generally harmless and don't increase the risk of heart disease. Regular 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 lead to heart failure.

PVCs can cause symptoms like a feeling of your heart beating a beat, or the feeling of your heart fluttering. You may also feel breathless. The fluttering may be more apparent when you exercise or consume certain drinks or foods. People who experience chronic anxiety or stress can have more PVCs, and some medications like amiodarone digoxin and cocaine can increase the risk of developing them.

If you experience occasional PVCs Your doctor might suggest lifestyle changes and medications. If you are prone to frequent PVCs, your physician may recommend avoiding certain foods and drinks such as alcohol and caffeine. You can also reduce your stress, and get plenty of sleep and exercise.

If you have many PVCs the doctor might suggest a medical treatment called radiofrequency catheter ablation. It eliminates the cells that cause PVCs. This is done by a specialist known as an electrophysiologist. It is typically effective in treating PVCs and reducing symptoms however, it doesn't prevent them from recurring in the future. In certain instances, it can increase the risk of having atrial fibrillation (AFib) which is a condition that can result in stroke. This isn't common but it could be life-threatening.

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 need to see your doctor if they are frequent or if you notice symptoms like dizziness, or fatigue.

Normaly, electrical signals begin in the sinoatrial, located in the upper right-hand part of the heart. They then travel to the lower chambers, also known as ventricles, where blood pumps are located. 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 (championsleage.review) begins at a different spot that is the Purkinje fibres bundle at the bottom left of the heart.

When PVCs occur, they can make the heart beat faster or feel as if it skipped a beat. If you experience just a few episodes but no other symptoms, the cardiologist probably won't treat you. But if you have a lot of PVCs, the doctor may recommend an electrocardiogram, or ECG to gauge your heartbeat over a 24-hour period. The doctor may also recommend wearing a Holter Monitor, which records your heartbeat and tracks the number of PVCs.

People who have had a prior heart attack or have cardiomyopathy -which affects the way that the heart pumps blood- must be aware of their PVCs and talk to a cardiologist about lifestyle changes. This includes abstaining from alcohol, caffeine and smoking, managing anxiety and stress, and ensuring adequate sleep. A cardiologist can prescribe medication to slow heartbeat, such as a beta blocker.

Even if you don't experience any other symptoms, you should still get PVCs checked by an cardiologist if they occur often. These heartbeats that are irregular could indicate a problem in the structure of your heart or lungs and if they happen often enough, can weaken your heart muscle. The majority of people with PVCs do not have any problems. They simply want to be aware that the fluttering and skipping heartbeats aren't normal.

Diagnosis

PVCs may feel like heartbeats that are fluttering especially if they are frequent and intense. People who get lots of them may feel they're going to faint. They can also occur with training, even though many athletes who get them don't have any problems in their heart or health. PVCs can show up on tests such as an electrocardiogram or Holter monitor. These are sticky patches that have sensors that record electrical impulses coming from your heart. A cardiologist may also perform an echocardiogram, which uses ultrasound to examine the heart and observe how it's working.

A glass doctor can often tell if a patient has PVCs by looking at them and taking a medical history. Sometimes, they may only notice them while examining the patient for different reasons, like following an accident or surgery. Ambulatory ECG monitoring systems also aid in detecting PVCs and other arrhythmias and can be used in the event of any suspicion of heart disease.

If your cardiologist determines your heart is structurally healthy, reassurance may be all that's needed. If your symptoms are troubling or make you be anxious, avoiding alcohol, caffeine and other over the prescription decongestants, as well as decreasing stress can aid. Engaging in regular exercise, keeping at a healthy weight and drinking enough fluids can decrease the likelihood of PVCs. If you are experiencing symptoms that are persistent or severe, speak to your physician about the medications that may be able to manage them.

Treatment

If PVCs are rare or do not cause symptoms, they rarely need treatment. If they occur frequently your doctor may be able to look for heart problems or suggest lifestyle adjustments. You could also undergo an operation (called radiofrequency cathode ablation) to get rid them.

If you have PVCs in your heart, the electrical signal which causes your heartbeat begins somewhere different than the sinoatrial (SA) node, which is located in the upper right-hand corner of your heart. This could cause it to feel like your heart skips a beat or has extra beats. It's not known what causes these, but they're more frequent in those with other heart conditions. PVCs can increase in frequency as you age, and may occur more often during exercising.

If a patient has frequent and painful PVCs doctors is required to perform an ECG and an echocardiogram to determine if there is a structural heart problem. The doctor will also conduct an exercise stress test in order to determine if the additional heartbeats are caused by physical activity. A heart catheterization, cardiac MRI or nuclear perfusion study could be done to look for other causes of the extra beats.

The majority of people with PVCs are not affected and can live a normal life. They may increase your risk for heart rhythm disorders that can be dangerous, especially if they occur in certain patterns. In some cases, this means that the heart muscle becomes weaker and has difficulty pumping blood throughout your body.

Regular exercise and a balanced diet can reduce your chances of developing PVCs. You should avoid foods that are high in fat and sodium as well as limit caffeine and tobacco. Sleep and stress are also crucial. Some medicines can also increase your risk of PVCs. If you take any of these medications it is crucial to follow your door doctor's advice about eating healthy exercising, as well as taking your medication.

Studies of patients with a high burden of PVCs (that's more than 20% of their total heart beats) found that they had a higher risk of arrhythmia-induced cardiomyopathy. This can lead to the need for a transplant in certain patients.