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How a VC Can Affect Your Heart
A lot of people experience occasional PVCs without any problems. However, if they happen frequently, PVCs can weaken your heart muscle and increase the risk of heart failure.
The rhythm of your heart is controlled by a group of nerve fibers situated in the upper right-hand part of your heart. This is called the sinoatrial node or SA. Electrical signals travel to the lower heart chambers or ventricles.
Causes
PVCs occur when the electrical impulse that normally starts your heartbeat at the Sinus Node (also called the Sinoatrial or the SA node) is not initiated. The impulse actually begins in the ventricles, causing an untimed heartbeat. These extra beats are called ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation. They may feel like the heart skipped a beat or feels like it is fluttering. They can occur rarely and not cause any symptoms, but they can also happen frequently enough to affect your standard of living. Your doctor might prescribe medication when they occur frequently or cause dizziness, weakness or fatigue.
For most people, PVCs are harmless and aren't likely to increase your risk of heart disease or other health problems. Frequent PVCs however, may weaken your heart muscle over time. This is especially relevant if the PVCs are triggered by conditions like dilated cardiomyopathy and arrhythmogenic right ventricle cardiomyopathy that can cause heart failure.
PVCs can trigger symptoms such as a feeling of your heart racing a beat, or fluttering. You might also feel breathless. The fluttering can be more noticeable when you exercise or have certain foods or drinks. People with chronic anxiety or stress can have more PVCs and certain medications such as amiodarone, digoxin, and cocaine can increase the chance of developing them.
If you experience occasional PVCs Your doctor might suggest lifestyle changes and medication. If they are a regular occurrence, you may have to avoid certain foods and beverages, such as caffeine and alcohol. You can also reduce your stress, and make sure you get enough sleep and exercise.
If you have many PVCs Your doctor may suggest a medical procedure called radiofrequency catheter ablation. It eliminates the cells responsible for them. The procedure is carried out by a specialist, known as an electrophysiologist. The treatment is generally successful in treating PVCs, reducing symptoms but it does not stop them from recurring in the future. In the window doctor near me can increase your risk of atrial fibrillation (AFib) which can lead to a stroke. It is not common, but it could be life-threatening.
Signs and symptoms
Premature ventricular contractions, or PVCs, can make your heart seem to skip or flutter the beat. These heartbeats that are not normal can be harmless, however you might want to consult your doctor when they occur frequently or if you are experiencing symptoms such as dizziness or fatigue.
The normal electrical signals start in the sinoatrial area, which is located in the upper right corner of the heart. They then move to the lower chambers, also known as ventricles, which pump blood. The ventricles contract to propel blood into your lungs, and then return to the heart and start the next pumping cycle. However, a PVC starts in a different location, from the bundle of fibers, known as the Purkinje fibers, in the lower left part of the heart.
When PVCs happen, the heart may feel like it is skipping a beat or pounding. If you have a few episodes and no other symptoms, the doctor will probably not treat you. However, if you have lot of PVCs the doctor may suggest an electrocardiogram, or ECG to determine your heart rate over a 24-hour period. They may also recommend wearing a Holter Monitor, which records your heart rhythm and counts the number of PVCs.
Anyone who has suffered a previous heart attack or have suffered from cardiomyopathy - an illness that affects the way the heart pumps blood - must take their PVCs seriously and speak to a cardiologist about lifestyle changes. These include the avoidance of alcohol, caffeine, and smoking, managing anxiety and stress and getting enough sleep. A cardiologist might prescribe medication to slow the heartbeat, such as a beta blocker.
Even if you don't experience any other indications it is still recommended to have PVCs examined by an cardiologist if they occur frequently. These heartbeats that are irregular can point to problems with the structure of your heart or other health conditions and, over time, when they happen frequently enough, they can weaken the heart muscle. But most people with PVCs do not experience any issues. They just want to be aware that the fluttering and skipping heartbeats aren't normal.
Diagnosis
PVCs can be akin to heartbeats that flutter, particularly if they're frequent and intense. People who experience them frequently may feel weak. Exercise can cause 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 (ECG) or Holter monitor. These patches contain sensors that record electrical impulses from your heart. A cardiologist can also perform an ultrasound echocardiogram to examine the heart.
Most of the time, a doctor will be able to identify if someone has PVCs from a history and physical exam. But sometimes they might only be able to detect them when they examine the patient for different reasons, like after a surgery or accident. Ambulatory ECG monitors are able to detect PVCs as well as other arrhythmias. They are able to identify cardiac problems when there is a reason to be concerned.
If your cardiologist concludes that your heart is structurally healthy, reassurance may be all that's needed. If your symptoms are bothersome, or cause you to be anxious, avoiding alcohol, caffeine and over-the prescription decongestants, as well as the reduction of stress could help. Regular exercise and maintaining a healthy weight, and drinking enough fluids can help reduce the frequency of PVCs. If the symptoms persist or are severe, talk with your physician about possible medication options to treat these symptoms.
Treatment
If PVCs do not cause any symptoms or happen rarely generally, they don't require treatment. If they happen frequently your doctor may need to examine for heart conditions or recommend lifestyle changes. You could also have an operation (called radiofrequency cathode ablation) to get rid them.
If you have PVCs the electrical signal that triggers your heartbeat is generated from a place outside of the sinoatrial node (SA node) in the top right corner of your heart. This can cause your heart to feel like it skips a beating or has additional beats. They're more common among people who suffer from heart issues however, it's not clear the reason behind them. PVCs are more likely to occur as you age, and could be more frequent during exercises.
A physician should perform an ECG along with an echocardiogram on a patient that suffers from frequent and painful PVCs to identify structural heart conditions. The doctor may also conduct an exercise stress test in order to determine if the extra heartbeats are related to physical activity. A heart catheterization, cardiac MRI or nuclear perfusion study could be performed to find other reasons for the increased beats.
The majority of people with PVCs don't experience any issues and can live a normal lifestyle. However, they can increase the risk of developing dangerous heart rhythm problems, especially if you have certain patterns of them. In some cases this means that the heart muscle becomes weaker and has difficulty pumping blood throughout the body.
Regular exercise and a healthy diet can reduce your risk of developing PVCs. Avoid foods that are high in sodium and fat and restrict your intake of tobacco and caffeine. It is also important to get enough rest and manage stress. Certain medicines can also increase the risk of developing PVCs. So if you take one of these medicines, it's important to follow your doctor's recommendations about eating well, exercising and taking your medication.
In studies of patients with PVC burdens that are high (more than 20% of the total heartbeats) the higher rate of arrhythmia-induced cardiac myopathy was found. This can lead to a need for a heart transplant in certain individuals.