How a VC Can Affect Your Heart

PVCs are common and can be experienced by a wide range of people with no cause for concern. If they occur regularly, PVCs can weaken your heart muscle and increase your risk of heart failure.

A bundle of fibers located in the top right portion of your heart (the sinoatrial or SA node) typically controls your heart rhythm. Electrical signals are transmitted to the ventricles, or lower chambers of the heart.

Causes

PVCs occur when the electrical impulse that typically starts your heartbeat in a part called the sinus node (also called the sinoatrial or SA node) isn't. Instead, the impulse starts in a different part of your heart called the ventricles and triggers a mistimed beat. These extra beats are known as ventricular tachycardia, and ventricular fibrillation. It may feel like the heart beats faster or feels fluttering. They can occur infrequently and not cause any symptoms, or they can occur frequently enough to interfere with your quality of life. If they are very frequent or cause dizziness, weakness or fatigue, your doctor could treat them with medicine.

For most people, residential Windows Repair PVCs are harmless and do not increase the risk of developing heart disease or other health problems. Over time, repeated PVCs can weaken the heart muscle. This is especially relevant if they are triggered by a heart condition such as dilated cardiomyopathy or arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy which can lead to symptomatic heart failure.

PVCs can cause symptoms like a feeling of your heart skipping a beat, or fluttering. It is also possible to feel exhausted. The fluttering could be more apparent when you exercise or have certain foods or drinks. PVCs are more common in those suffering from chronic anxiety or stress. Certain drugs, like digoxin, amiodarone, Picture window Repair and cocaine, can increase the risk.

If you experience occasional PVCs your doctor may suggest lifestyle changes and medication. If you experience frequent PVCs, your doctor may suggest that you stay away from certain foods and drinks such as caffeine and alcohol. You can also reduce your stress levels, and take advantage of plenty of rest and exercise.

If you have a lot of PVCs Your doctor may suggest a medical procedure known as radiofrequency catheter ablation. This procedure eliminates the cells that are responsible for them. Electrophysiologists are the ones who perform this procedure. The treatment is typically successful in treating PVCs which reduce symptoms, but does not prevent them from recurring in the future. In some cases, it can increase your risk of atrial fibrillation (AFib), which can result in a stroke. It is not common, but it could be life-threatening.

Symptoms

Premature ventricular contractions, or PVCs, can make your heart appear to flutter or skip one beat. These heartbeats that are not normal can be harmless, however you might want to consult your doctor in the event of frequent heartbeats or if you experience symptoms like dizziness or fatigue.

Normally, electrical signals begin in the sinoatrial node, located in the upper right side of the heart. These signals travel down to the lower chambers (or ventricles) that pump blood. The ventricles then contract to pump blood into the lung. They return to the heart's center to start the next cycle of pumping. But a PVC begins at a different spot and is located in the bundle of fibers known as the Purkinje fibers in the bottom left portion of the heart.

When PVCs occur, they make the heart beat or feel as if it skipped the beat. If you experience only a few episodes, but no other symptoms, the doctor probably won't be able to treat you. But if you have a number of PVCs and you have other symptoms, your doctor might recommend an electrocardiogram, or ECG, to measure the heart's rate over the course of 24 hours. They may also recommend wearing a Holter Monitor that records the heart's rhythm and count the number of PVCs.

Anyone who has suffered an earlier heart attack or cardiomyopathy, an illness that affects the heart's blood flow - must take their PVCs seriously and consult an expert in cardiology about lifestyle modifications. Those include the avoidance of alcohol, caffeine, and smoking, reducing anxiety and stress and getting enough rest. A cardiologist can prescribe beta blockers to slow down the heartbeat.

Even if you don't experience any other signs however, you should have PVCs examined by an expert in cardiology if they occur often. These extra heartbeats can be a sign of a problem with the structure of your heart or other health conditions and, over time when they happen frequently enough, they may weaken the heart muscle. The majority of people with PVCs do not have any problems. They are interested in knowing if the irregular heartbeats or fluttering is normal.

Diagnosis

PVCs can feel like heartbeats that are fluttering, particularly if they're frequent and intense. People who experience them frequently may feel faint. They can also occur during exercising, but most athletes who get them do not have any issues with their health or heart. PVCs can be detected in tests like an electrocardiogram or a Holter monitor. They use sticky patches with sensors that record electrical signals from your heart. A cardiologist could also employ an echocardiogram, which uses ultrasound to look at the heart and determine how it's working.

A doctor can often tell if a patient has PVCs by examining them and taking their medical history. However, sometimes they will only notice them while examining the patient for different reasons, like following an accident or surgery. Ambulatory ECG monitoring systems can aid in detecting PVCs and other arrhythmias, and could be utilized when there is a concern of a cardiac condition.

If your cardiologist has determined that your heart is structurally healthy, reassurance could be all that's needed. If your symptoms are causing you discomfort or make you be anxious, avoiding alcohol, caffeine and other over the drug decongestants and reducing stress may help. Regular exercise and maintaining a healthy weight, and drinking enough fluids can help reduce the frequency of PVCs. If your symptoms continue or are extreme, talk to your doctor about possible medications that can control the symptoms.

Treatment

If PVCs aren't causing symptoms or are not frequent generally, they don't require treatment. If you experience them frequently, your doctor may want to look for other heart issues and suggest lifestyle changes or medicine. You might also get an operation to rid yourself of them (called radiofrequency catheter ablation).

If you suffer from PVCs, the electrical signal that causes your heartbeat begins somewhere outside of the sinoatrial node (SA node) located in the upper right part of your heart. This could cause it to feel like your heart skips a beat or is beating faster. They're more common among people who suffer from heart issues however it's unclear what causes them. PVCs may increase in frequency as you age, and may occur more often during exercises.

If a patient experiences frequent and painful PVCs the doctor is required to perform an ECG and an echocardiogram to determine if there is a structural heart problem. The doctor will also perform an exercise stress test to determine if the additional heartbeats are related to physical activity. To determine if there are other causes for the extra beats the heart catheterization or an MRI is possible.

The majority of people with PVCs do not suffer from any complications and can lead an ordinary life. However, they may increase your risk of having dangerous heart rhythm problems, especially if you have certain patterns of them. In some cases, this means that the heart muscle becomes weaker and it is more difficult to pump blood throughout 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, and limit your consumption of tobacco and caffeine. Stress and sleep are also important. Certain medicines can also increase your risk of PVCs. If you take any of these medications it is essential to follow the advice of your doctor regarding eating a healthy diet, exercising, and taking your medication.

Studies of patients suffering from a high burden of PVCs (that's more than 20% of their total heart beats) discovered that they had a higher incidence of arrhythmia-induced cardiomyopathy. This can lead to the need for a transplant in certain people.