How a VC Can Affect Your Heart
PVCs are commonplace and can be experienced by a variety of people without causing any issues. If they occur often, PVCs may weaken your heart and increase the risk of heart failure.
The rhythm of your heart is usually controlled by a bundle of fibers that are located in the upper right-hand part of your heart. This is called the sinoatrial node, or SA. Electrical signals are transmitted to the ventricles or lower chambers of your heart.
Causes
PVCs occur when the electrical impulse that normally initiates your heartbeat at the Sinus Node (also called the Sinoatrial or SA node) is not initiated. The impulse actually starts in the ventricles and causes an irregular heartbeat. These extra beats are also known as ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation. They may feel like the heart skipped a beat or feels fluttering. They can happen infrequently and cause no symptoms, or they can happen often enough to interfere with your quality of life. Your doctor may prescribe medication if they are frequent or cause weakness, dizziness or fatigue.
For the majority of people, PVCs are harmless and aren't likely to increase your risk of developing heart disease or other health issues. Regular PVCs however, may weaken your heart muscle over time. This is particularly relevant if the PVCs are caused by conditions like dilated cardiomyopathy and arrhythmogenic right ventricle cardiomyopathy that could lead to heart failure.
PVCs can cause symptoms, such as a sensation of your heart beating an beat, or the feeling of your heart fluttering. You may also feel exhausted. The fluttering may be more apparent if you exercise, or eat or drink certain beverages or foods. People with chronic anxiety or stress may have more PVCs and certain medications like amiodarone digoxin, and cocaine can increase the likelihood of developing them.
If you experience occasional PVCs, your doctor may 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 reduce your stress, and make sure you get enough sleep and exercise.
If you've got a lot of PVCs Your doctor may suggest a medical procedure called radiofrequency catheter ablation, which destroys the cells that cause them. Electrophysiologists are the ones who perform this procedure. The treatment is usually successful in treating PVCs, reducing symptoms but does not prevent them from recurring in the future. In some cases it can increase the risk of having atrial fibrillation (AFib), a condition that can cause stroke. This is rare but can be life-threatening.
Symptoms
Premature ventricular contractions or PVCs may cause your heart to skip or to flutter. These extra heartbeats are generally harmless, however, you should talk to your doctor when you experience frequent episodes or signs like dizziness or weakness.
Normaly, electrical signals begin in the sinoatrial region, which is in the upper right corner of the heart. They then move to the lower chambers, also known as ventricles, which pump blood. The ventricles expand to pump blood into the lungs. They return to the heart's center to begin the next cycle of pumping. But a PVC starts in a different location and is located in the bundle of fibers, known as the Purkinje fibers, in the lower left part of the heart.
When PVCs occur, the heart may appear to be beating faster or slower. If you only have just a few episodes and there are no other symptoms the cardiologist will likely not be able to treat you. If you've got a number of PVCs the doctor may recommend an electrocardiogram, or ECG, to measure your heartbeat over the course of 24 hours. The doctor may also recommend wearing a Holter Monitor that records your heart rhythm and counts the number of PVCs.
Anyone who has suffered an earlier heart attack or cardiomyopathy, an illness that affects heart's blood flow - should take their PVCs seriously and consult an expert in cardiology about lifestyle changes. This includes avoiding caffeine, alcohol and smoking, managing anxiety and stress and getting enough rest. A cardiologist can prescribe medications to slow heartbeat, such as beta blockers.
Even if you don't experience any other signs it is still recommended to have PVCs checked by a cardiologist if they happen often. These irregular heartbeats could be a sign of a problem with the structure of your heart or lungs and if they occur often enough, it could weaken the heart muscle. However, most people with PVCs don't have any issues. They simply want to be aware that the fluttering or skipping heartbeats aren't normal.
Diagnosis
PVCs might be felt as fluttering or skipped heartbeats, particularly when they are frequent or intense. People who get lots of them may feel they're about to faint. Exercise can trigger PVCs, but a lot of athletes who suffer from these symptoms do not have heart or health issues. PVCs can be detected in tests like an electrocardiogram or a Holter monitor. These patches contain sensors which record electrical impulses that come from your heart. A cardiologist might also use an echocardiogram that uses ultrasound to look at the heart and see how it's functioning.
A doctor is often able to tell whether a patient has PVCs by conducting a thorough examination and taking a medical history. However, sometimes they will only notice them while examining the patient for other reasons, for instance after an accident or surgery. Ambulatory ECG monitors can detect PVCs as well as other arrhythmias. They can be used to identify cardiac problems in the event of any concerns.
If your cardiologist concludes that your heart is structurally healthy, reassurance may be all that's needed. If your symptoms are causing you discomfort, or cause you to feel anxious, avoiding alcohol, caffeine and other over the prescription decongestants, as well as the reduction of stress could aid. Regular exercise and maintaining a healthy weight and drinking enough fluids can all aid in reducing the frequency of PVCs. If you are experiencing symptoms that are persistent or severe, talk to your doctor about medication that could help control them.
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If PVCs don't cause symptoms or are not frequent, they usually don't need treatment. If they happen frequently your doctor may want to check for heart problems or suggest lifestyle adjustments. You could also have a procedure (called radiofrequency cathode ablation) to eliminate them.
If you suffer from PVCs, the electrical signal that causes your heartbeat starts somewhere other than the sinoatrial node (SA node) in the top right part of your heart. This can cause your heart to feel like it skips a beating or has additional beats. PVCs are more prevalent among people with heart problems however it's unclear what causes them. PVCs can become more frequent as you age, and they might occur more frequently during exercising.
If a patient has frequent and painful PVCs doctors is required to perform an ECG and an echocardiogram to rule out heart disease that is structural. They may also perform an exercise stress test to see whether the additional beats are a result of physical exercise. A heart catheterization, cardiac MRI or nuclear perfusion study could be performed to find other causes of the extra beats.
The majority of people who suffer from PVCs are not affected and can live the normal life. They may increase your risk for heart rhythm disorders that can be dangerous particularly if they develop in certain patterns. In some instances, this means that the heart muscle becomes weaker and is having difficulty pumping blood through your body.
A regular, healthy diet and regular exercise can help reduce your risk of developing PVCs. Avoid foods that are high in sodium and fat as well as restrict your intake of tobacco and caffeine. It is also important to get enough rest and reduce stress. Certain medicines can also increase your risk of PVCs. If you are taking one of these drugs it is important to follow the doctor's advice about eating well, exercising and taking your medication.
Studies of patients who had an excessive amount of PVCs (that's more than 20% of their total heart beats) found that they had a higher incidence of arrhythmia-induced cardiomyopathy. Certain people may require a heart transplant.