How a VC Can Affect Your Heart

Many people experience occasional PVCs and have no issues. If they happen frequently, PVCs may weaken your heart and increase the risk of heart failure.

A bundle of fibers located in the upper right part of your heart (the sinoatrial node, also known as SA) typically controls the heart's rhythm. Electrical signals travel from this node to the lower chambers of your heart or ventricles.

Causes

PVCs happen when the electrical impulse that normally initiates your heartbeat at the Sinus Node (also known as the Sinoatrial or the SA node) does not. Instead, the impulse is generated in a different area of your heart called the ventricles and triggers a mistimed beat. These extra beats, called ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation, can feel like your heart skipped a beat or is like it's fluttering. They can occur rarely, causing no symptoms, but they can be frequent enough to affect your standard of life. If they happen frequently or cause dizziness, weakness, or fatigue, your doctor could treat them with medicine.

In most people, PVCs are harmless and do not increase the risk of developing heart disease or other health problems. Frequent PVCs however, may weaken your heart muscle over time. This is especially relevant if they are triggered by a heart disease such as dilated cardiomyopathy or arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy which may lead to symptomatic heart failure.

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

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

If you're suffering from lots of PVCs The doctor may suggest a medical treatment called radiofrequency catheter ablation, which destroys cells that cause PVCs. Electrophysiologists are the ones who execute this procedure. The treatment is typically effective in treating PVCs, reducing symptoms but does not prevent them from recurring in the future. In certain cases, it may increase the risk of developing atrial fibrillation (AFib) which is a condition that can result in stroke. This isn't common however it could be life-threatening.

Symptoms

Premature ventricular contractions or PVCs, may make your heart seem to flutter or skip a beat. These extra heartbeats are usually harmless, but you should consult your physician in case you experience frequent episodes or signs like dizziness or weakness.

The normal electrical signals start 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. The ventricles then contract to propel the blood into your lungs and then return to your heart to begin the next pumping cycle. A PVC starts in a different location in the Purkinje fibers are located in the bottom left of the heart.

When PVCs happen, the heart may appear to be beating faster or slower. If you have only one or two episodes, and there are no other symptoms your cardiologist may not prescribe treatment. However, if you have number of PVCs, the doctor may recommend an electrocardiogram, also known as an ECG to determine your heartbeat over 24 hours. The doctor may also recommend wearing a Holter Monitor that records the heart's rhythm and count the number of PVCs.

People who have suffered a heart attack in the past or have cardiomyopathy -- a condition that alters the way the heart pumps blood should be aware of their PVCs and talk to a cardiologist about changes to their lifestyle. This includes avoiding alcohol, caffeine and smoking, reducing anxiety and stress, and getting enough rest. A cardiologist may prescribe medication to slow the heartbeat like beta blockers.

If you experience frequent PVCs even if you do not have any other signs, you should see a cardiologist. These irregular heartbeats could signal a problem with the structure of your heart or lungs and if they occur frequently enough, it could weaken the heart muscle. But most people suffering from PVCs don't experience any problems. They just want to be aware that the fluttering or skipping heartbeats aren't normal.

Diagnosis

PVCs can be akin to heartbeats that are fluttering particularly if they're frequent and intense. People who experience a lot of them might feel like they're about to faint. Exercise can cause them, but many athletes who experience them do not have heart or health issues. PVCs may show up in tests such as an electrocardiogram (ECG) or 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 examine the heart and see how it's working.

A doctor may be able to identify if a person is suffering from PVCs through a medical history and physical exam. But sometimes they might only notice them while examining the patient for other reasons, such as after an accident or surgery. Ambulatory ECG monitoring systems also help detect PVCs and other arrhythmias, and they might be used when there is a concern of cardiac disease.

If your cardiologist determines that your heart's structure is normal, reassurance will be the only remedy required. If your symptoms are causing you discomfort, or cause you to feel anxious, staying away from alcohol, caffeine and over-the drug decongestants and the reduction of stress could help. Regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, and drinking enough fluids can all help to reduce the frequency of PVCs. If the symptoms persist or are severe, talk to your doctor about possible medications that can control them.

Treatment

If PVCs aren't common or don't cause symptoms, they do not usually require treatment. If you experience them frequently and frequently, your doctor might want to look for other heart issues and suggest lifestyle changes or window repair service air leakage broken window repair (wwww.destockdrive.com) medications. You may also undergo a procedure (called radiofrequency cathode ablation) to eliminate of them.

When you have PVCs the electrical signal that triggers your heartbeat begins somewhere outside of the sinoatrial node (SA node) in the top right corner of your heart. This can make it 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 issues. PVCs can increase in frequency as we age and can occur more often during exercising.

If a patient has frequent and painful PVCs the doctor should conduct an ECG and an echocardiogram to rule out structural heart disease. They will probably also do an exercise stress test to determine if the extra beats are caused by physical exercise. To find out whether there are any other causes for the extra beats, a heart catheterization or cardiac MRI is possible.

The majority of people with PVCs do not have any issues and can live the normal life. However, they may increase the risk of developing 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.

A healthy, regular diet and regular exercise can reduce your chances of developing PVCs. Avoid foods that are high in fat and sodium, and limit your intake of tobacco and caffeine. Also, you should try to get enough sleep and reduce stress. Some medicines can also increase the risk of developing PVCs. If you take any of these medicines, it is important that you follow your doctor's recommendations regarding healthy eating exercising, as well as taking your medication.

Studies of patients with 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.