How a VC Can Affect Your Heart
Many people experience occasional PVCs with no problems. However, if they happen frequently, PVCs can weaken your heart muscle and increase your risk of heart failure.
A bundle of fibers in the upper right part of your heart (the sinoatrial node, also known as SA) typically controls your heart rhythm. Electrical signals travel from there to the lower chambers of your heart or ventricles.
Causes
PVCs are caused when the electrical impulse that typically initiates your heartbeat at a point known as the sinus node (also known as the sinoatrial node or SA node) isn't. Instead, the impulse is generated in another area of your heart, the ventricles, and causes a mistimed beat. These extra beats are known as ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation. the window doctor may feel like the heart beats faster or feels like it is fluttering. They can occur rarely and not cause any symptoms, but they can be frequent enough to affect your standard of living. If they are very frequent or cause weakness, dizziness, or fatigue, your doctor may treat them with medicine.
PVCs are generally harmless and don't increase your risk of heart disease. A lot of PVCs, however, can weaken the heart muscle over time. This is particularly true if they are caused by a heart condition such as dilated cardiomyopathy arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy which may lead to symptomatic heart failure.
The signs of PVCs include a feeling that your heart beats slower or is fluttering, and you feel exhausted. The fluttering may be more noticeable if you exercise, or consume certain drinks or foods. People with chronic stress or anxiety can have more PVCs and certain medications like amiodarone digoxin, and cocaine may increase the risk of developing them.
If you experience occasional PVCs Your doctor might recommend lifestyle changes and medicines. If they are a regular occurrence, you may need to avoid certain drinks and foods like caffeine and alcohol. You can also reduce your stress levels by getting enough sleep and exercising.
If you have many PVCs Your doctor may suggest a medical procedure called radiofrequency catheter ablation, which eliminates the cells responsible for them. Electrophysiologists are the ones who carry out this procedure. It is usually effective in treating PVCs and reducing symptoms, however, it doesn't prevent them from recurring in the future. In some cases, it can increase your risk of having atrial fibrillation (AFib) which could lead to stroke. It's not common, but it can be life-threatening.
Signs and symptoms
Premature ventricular contractures, or PVCs can cause your heart to skip or be fluttering. These extra heartbeats can be harmless, but you might want to consult your doctor in the event of frequent heartbeats or if you are experiencing symptoms like dizziness, or fatigue.
Normaly, electrical signals begin in the sinoatrial region, which is in the upper right part of the heart. They then move to the lower chambers, or ventricles, which pump blood. The ventricles contract to push the blood into the lungs. They return to the center to start the next cycle of pumping. A PVC starts at a different spot that is the Purkinje fibres bundle at the left-hand side of the heart.
When PVCs occur, they make the heart beat or feel like it skipped a beat. If you have only one or two episodes, and no other symptoms are present, your cardiologist will probably not treat you. If you've got a lot of PVCs and you have other symptoms, your doctor might recommend an electrocardiogram, also known as an ECG, to measure your heart rate over 24 hours. The doctor may also suggest wearing a Holter Monitor, which records your heart rhythm and counts the number of PVCs.
Anyone who has suffered a heart attack in the past or suffer from cardiomyopathy -an illness that affects how the heart pumps blood -- should be aware of their PVCs and consult a cardiologist about changes to their lifestyle. This includes avoiding alcohol, caffeine and smoking, reducing stress and anxiety, as well as getting enough rest. A cardiologist can also prescribe medication to slow heartbeat, like a beta blocker.
Even if you don't experience any other indications, you should still get PVCs checked by a cardiologist if they happen often. These heartbeats that are irregular can point to problems with the structure of your heart or other health conditions, and over time, when they are frequent enough, they can weaken the heart muscle. However, most people with PVCs don't experience any problems. They simply want to be aware that the fluttering or racing heartbeats aren't normal.
Diagnosis
PVCs might feel like fluttering or skipped heartbeats, especially when they are frequent or intense. People who experience them regularly may feel faint. Exercise can cause PVCs, but a lot of athletes who experience them have no heart or health problems. PVCs may show up in tests like an electrocardiogram, or Holter monitor. These use sticky patches with sensors to record electrical impulses from your heart. A cardiologist could also employ an echocardiogram, which uses ultrasound to examine the heart and determine how it's working.
A doctor is often able to tell whether a patient has PVCs by conducting a thorough examination and taking a medical history. Sometimes, however, they may only notice PVCs when examining a patient for another reason such as following an accident or a surgery. Ambulatory ECG monitoring systems can aid in detecting PVCs and other arrhythmias and can be used when there is a concern of cardiac disease.
If your cardiologist determines your heart is structurally healthy, reassurance might be all that's needed. However, if your symptoms are troubling or cause you to feel anxious, avoiding alcohol, caffeine and other decongestants as well as reducing stress levels can help. Regular exercise, being 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 doctor about medications that could help reduce the symptoms.
Treatment
If PVCs are rare or do not cause symptoms, they do not usually require treatment. If they happen frequently, your doctor might need to examine for heart issues or suggest lifestyle modifications. You could also have a procedure to get rid of them (called radiofrequency catheter ablation).
When you have PVCs, the electrical signal that causes your heartbeat begins somewhere other than the sinoatrial node (SA node) in the top right part of your heart. This can make it feel like your heart skips beats or has a few extra beats. PVCs are more frequent among those with heart problems, but it's not known the reason behind them. PVCs can become more frequent as you age, and might occur more frequently during exercise.
A doctor should conduct an ECG as well as an echocardiogram on a patient that has frequent and painful PVCs to identify structural heart conditions. They should also conduct an exercise stress test to determine whether the extra beats are a result of physical activity. To determine whether there are any other causes for the increased beats, a heart catheterization or a cardiac MRI is possible.
Most people who suffer from PVCs have no complications and live an ordinary life. But 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 is unable to pump blood throughout your body.
A healthy and balanced diet and regular exercise can reduce your chances of developing PVCs. Avoid foods high in sodium and fat, and limit your consumption of tobacco and caffeine. You should also try to sleep enough and manage stress. Certain medicines can also increase your risk of getting PVCs. If you are taking one of these drugs it is important to follow the doctor's advice regarding eating healthy, exercising and taking your medication.
Studies of patients suffering from a high burden of PVCs (that's more than 20 percent of their total heart beats) found that they had a higher risk of arrhythmia-induced cardiomyopathy. Certain people may require an organ transplant.
