How a VC Can Affect Your Heart
PVCs are commonplace and can be experienced by a variety of people without causing any 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 usually controlled by a group of nerve fibers situated in the upper right corner 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 are caused when the electrical impulse that usually begins your heartbeat in a part known as the sinus node (also known as the sinoatrial or SA node) doesn't. The impulse actually begins in the ventricles and causes an untimed heartbeat. These extra beats are known as ventricular tachycardia, and ventricular fibrillation. It could feel as if the heart beats faster or feels fluttering. They may happen rarely and cause no symptoms, or they can occur frequently enough to affect your quality of life. If they are very frequent or cause dizziness, weakness, or fatigue, your doctor might treat them with medicine.
For most people, PVCs are harmless and aren't likely to increase your risk of heart disease or other health issues. A lot of PVCs, however, can weaken the heart muscle over time. This is especially the case if they are caused by a heart condition such as dilated cardiomyopathy arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, which could lead to symptoms of heart failure.
PVCs can trigger symptoms, such as a sensation of your heart beating an beat, or fluttering. You may also feel exhausted. The fluttering may be more apparent when you exercise or consume certain drinks or food items. People who suffer from chronic anxiety or stress may have more PVCs and certain medications like amiodarone digoxin, and cocaine can increase the risk of developing them.
If you are experiencing occasional PVCs your doctor might suggest lifestyle changes and medication. If they are a frequent occurrence, you may have to avoid certain drinks and foods, such as alcohol and caffeine. You can also reduce your stress and get plenty of sleep and exercise.
If you're experiencing lots of PVCs, he may suggest a medical treatment called radiofrequency catheter ablation. This eliminates the cells that cause PVCs. Electrophysiologists are the ones who perform this procedure. The treatment is generally successful in treating PVCs and reducing symptoms, but it does not stop them from returning in the future. In some instances it can increase your risk of having atrial fibrillation (AFib) which could cause stroke. It's not common, but it can be life-threatening.
Symptoms
Premature ventricular contracts or PVCs may cause your heart to skip or flutter. These extra heartbeats are usually harmless, however, you should consult your physician when you experience frequent episodes or signs like dizziness or weakness.
Normally, electrical signals begin in the sinoatrial node located in the upper right portion of the heart, and move down to the lower chambers (or ventricles) that pump blood. The ventricles expand to push blood into your lungs and return to the heart and start the next pumping cycle. A PVC begins in a different place that is the Purkinje fibres bundle at the left side of the heart.
When PVCs occur, they cause the heart beat faster or feel as if it skipped a beat. If you've experienced only a few episodes, but no other symptoms, the cardiologist probably won't treat you. If you've got a lot of PVCs and your doctor might suggest you undergo an electrocardiogram (ECG) to measure the heartbeat for 24 hours. He or she may also recommend wearing a Holter monitor that records your heartbeat over time to see the number of PVCs you have.
People who have suffered a previous heart attack or cardiomyopathy, an illness that affects method by which the heart pumps blood - should take their PVCs seriously and consult a cardiologist about lifestyle modifications. These include cutting down on caffeine, alcohol and smoking, managing stress and anxiety, and getting enough rest. A cardiologist can also prescribe medication to slow the heartbeat, for example, a beta blocker.
Even if you don't have any other indications, you should still get PVCs checked by a cardiologist if they happen frequently. These extra heartbeats can be a sign of 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. The majority of people with PVCs don't experience any issues. They simply want to know that the fluttering or 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 might feel like they're about to faint. Exercise can trigger them, but most athletes who experience them have no heart or health problems. PVCs may show up in tests such as an electrocardiogram (ECG) or Holter monitor. They use sticky patches with sensors to record electrical impulses from your heart. A cardiologist may also perform an echocardiogram that uses ultrasound to study the heart and see how it's working.
A doctor will usually be able to determine whether a patient has PVCs by conducting a thorough examination and taking a medical history. But sometimes they might only notice them while examining the patient for different reasons, like following an accident or surgery. Ambulatory ECG monitoring systems can also assist in detecting PVCs and other arrhythmias and can be used if there's any concern of a cardiac condition.
If your cardiologist determines your heart is structurally healthy, reassurance could be all that's needed. If your symptoms are bothersome or make you feel anxious, staying away from alcohol, caffeine, and other decongestants and reducing stress may aid. Engaging in regular exercise, keeping at a healthy weight and drinking enough water can also decrease the likelihood of PVCs. If your symptoms persist or are extreme, talk to your doctor about possible medications that can control them.
Treatment
If PVCs aren't causing symptoms or happen rarely they aren't usually in need of treatment. If they occur frequently your doctor may need to examine for heart conditions or recommend lifestyle adjustments. You could also have a procedure (called radiofrequency cathode ablation) to eliminate of them.
If you suffer from PVCs in your heart, the electrical signal which triggers your heartbeat starts somewhere outside of the sinoatrial (SA) node located in the upper right-hand corner of your heart. window doctors can feel like your heart skips beats or has extra beats. It's not known what causes them, but they're more frequent in those with other heart problems. PVCs may increase in frequency with age and might happen more frequently during exercises.
If a patient has frequent and painful PVCs the doctor should conduct an ECG and an echocardiogram to rule out heart disease that is structural. They should also conduct an exercise stress test to determine whether the additional beats are due to physical activity. To find out whether there are any other causes for the increased beats an invasive heart catheterization or a cardiac MRI can be performed.
The majority of people with PVCs do not have any issues and can live the normal life. But 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 has difficulty pumping blood throughout your body.
A regular, healthy diet and a lot of exercise can reduce your chances of developing PVCs. Avoid foods high in fat and sodium and limit your intake of tobacco and caffeine. You should also try to get enough sleep and manage stress. Certain medicines can also increase the risk of developing PVCs. If you are taking one of these medications, it's important to follow your doctor's instructions about eating well, exercising and taking your medication.
In studies of patients with PVC burdens that are excessive (more than 20% of total heartbeats) there was a higher incidence of arrhythmia-induced cardiac myopathy was found. This can lead to a need for a heart transplant in a few patients.
