How a VC Can Affect Your Heart
PVCs are common and may be experienced by a variety of people without causing any problems. If they occur often, PVCs may weaken your heart and increase your chance of suffering from heart failure.
The rhythm of your heart is usually controlled by a bundle of fibers located in the upper right-hand part of your heart. This is called the sinoatrial node or SA. Electrical signals are transmitted from there to the lower heart chambers or ventricles.
Causes
PVCs occur when the electrical impulse that usually initiates your heartbeat in a region called the sinus node (also known as the sinoatrial node or SA node) doesn't. Instead, the impulse starts in a different part of your heart, the ventricles, and causes a mistimed beat. 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 may occur infrequently, causing no symptoms, but they can occur frequently enough to affect your quality of living. Your doctor may prescribe medicine in the event that they are frequent or cause dizziness, weakness or fatigue.
PVCs are generally safe and do not increase your risk of developing heart disease. Over time, repeated PVCs can weaken the heart muscle. This is particularly the case if they are caused by a heart condition like dilated cardiomyopathy, or arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, which could lead to symptoms of heart failure.
PVCs can trigger symptoms like a feeling of your heart racing one beat, or even fluttering. It is also possible to feel exhausted. The fluttering can be more noticeable when you exercise, or consume certain beverages or foods. PVCs are more common in those suffering from chronic stress or anxiety. Certain medications, like digoxin, amiodarone or cocaine, can increase their risk.
If you are experiencing occasional PVCs your doctor may suggest lifestyle changes and medication. If you experience frequent PVCs, your doctor might recommend avoiding certain foods and drinks like caffeine and alcohol. You can also reduce your stress and take advantage of plenty of rest and exercise.
If you have a lot of PVCs Your doctor may suggest a medical procedure called radiofrequency catheter ablation. It destroys the cells that cause them. Electrophysiologists are the ones who execute this procedure. The treatment is generally effective in treating PVCs, reducing symptoms but it does not stop them from recurring in the future. In certain cases, it may increase the risk of having atrial fibrillation (AFib) which is a condition that can cause stroke. It is not common, but it could be life-threatening.
Symptoms
Premature ventricular contractions PVCs, also known as PVCs, can cause your heart to skip or to flutter. These extra heartbeats can be harmless, but you may be advised to consult your physician if they are frequent or if you notice symptoms like dizziness, or fatigue.
The electrical signals typically begin in the sinoatrial node, located in the top right side of the heart, and move down to the lower chambers (or ventricles) which pump blood. The ventricles expand to push the blood into the lung. They return to the center to start the next cycle of pumping. A PVC starts at a different spot that is the Purkinje fibers are located in the bottom left of the heart.
When PVCs occur, they make the heart beat faster or feel like it skipped a beat. If you have just a few episodes but no other symptoms, your cardiologist probably won't treat you. If you have many PVCs, your doctor may suggest that you undergo an electrocardiogram (ECG) to monitor your heartbeat over the course of 24 hours. He or she might also suggest wearing a Holter Monitor which tracks the heart's rhythm and count the number of PVCs.
People who have suffered previously from a heart attack or cardiomyopathy, a condition which affects the heart's blood flow - must take their PVCs seriously and speak to an expert in cardiology about lifestyle changes. This includes abstaining from caffeine, alcohol, and smoking, managing anxiety and stress, and getting enough rest. A cardiologist can prescribe beta blockers to slow down the heartbeat.
Even if there aren't any other signs, you should still get PVCs examined by an expert in cardiology if they occur often. These irregular heartbeats could point to an issue with the structure of your heart or to other health conditions, and over time, when they are frequent enough, they may weaken the heart muscle. Most people who suffer from PVCs do not have any issues. They simply want to be aware that the fluttering and racing heartbeats aren't normal.
Diagnosis
PVCs can appear to be fluttering or skip heartbeats, especially when they're frequent or intense. People who experience a lot of them may feel they're going to faint. Exercise can cause them, but most athletes who suffer from them do not have heart or health issues. PVCs may show up in tests like an electrocardiogram or Holter monitor. These patches have sensors that record electrical impulses from your heart. A cardiologist could also employ an echocardiogram, which uses ultrasound to study the heart and observe how it's functioning.
A doctor will usually be able to determine the presence of PVCs by examining them and taking their medical history. Sometimes it is possible that they only notice PVCs when examining the patient for another reason, like following an accident or surgical procedure. window doctors near me monitoring systems can also aid in detecting PVCs and other arrhythmias, and could be utilized when there is a concern of cardiac disease.
If your cardiologist determines that your heart is structurally normal, reassurance is the only treatment required. If your symptoms are causing discomfort or make you feel anxious, avoiding alcohol, caffeine and other decongestants and reducing stress can help. Engaging in regular exercise, keeping at a healthy weight, and drinking enough water can reduce your episodes of PVCs. If you are experiencing symptoms that are persistent or severe, speak to your doctor about medications that could help reduce them.
Treatment
If PVCs are rare or don't cause symptoms, they rarely require treatment. If you are frequently affected, your doctor may want to check for any other heart problems and recommend lifestyle changes or medications. You may also undergo an operation to rid yourself of them (called radiofrequency catheter ablation).
If you suffer from PVCs the electrical signal that triggers your heartbeat starts somewhere outside of the sinoatrial node (SA node) located in the upper right part of your heart. It can feel like your heart skips beats or has a few extra beats. PVCs are more prevalent among people suffering from heart disease, but it's not known the reason behind them. PVCs are more likely to occur as you age, and might occur more frequently during exercises.
A doctor should perform an ECG and an echocardiogram on a patient that has frequent and painful PVCs to determine if there are structural heart problems. The doctor may also perform an exercise stress test to determine if the extra heartbeats are caused by physical exercise. A heart catheterization or cardiac MRI or nuclear perfusion study could be performed to find other reasons for the additional beats.
Most people who suffer from PVCs do not suffer from any issues and can live an ordinary life. However, they can increase the risk of developing dangerous heart rhythm problems particularly if you have certain patterns of them. In some cases, this means that the heart muscle becomes weaker and has difficulty pumping blood throughout your body.
Regular exercise and a balanced diet can lower your risk of developing PVCs. Avoid foods that are high in fat and sodium and limit your consumption of tobacco and caffeine. Stress and sleep are also crucial. Certain medicines can also increase the risk of developing PVCs. If you are taking any of these medicines it is essential to follow the advice of your doctor regarding healthy eating, exercising, and taking your medication.
In studies of patients suffering from high PVC burdens (more than 20% of heartbeats) the higher rate of arrhythmia-induced cardiac myopathy was discovered. This could lead to a need for a heart transplant in a few patients.