How a VC Can Affect Your Heart
PVCs are common and may be experienced by a wide range of people without causing any issues. If they happen frequently, PVCs may weaken your heart and increase the chance of suffering from heart failure.
A bundle of fibers in the upper right-hand corner of your heart (the sinoatrial, or SA, node) usually controls your heart's rhythm. Electrical signals travel from this node to the lower heart chambers, or ventricles.
Causes
PVCs occur when the electrical impulse that normally triggers your heartbeat at the Sinus Node (also known as the Sinoatrial or SA node) is not initiated. Instead, the impulse is generated in another area of your heart--the ventricles--and causes an untimed beat. These extra beats are known as ventricular tachycardia, and ventricular fibrillation. They may feel like the heart skipped a beating or feels like it is fluttering. They can occur infrequently and have no symptoms or they can happen often enough to impact your quality of life. If they happen frequently or cause weakness, dizziness or fatigue, your doctor may treat them with medication.
PVCs are generally safe and do not increase the risk of heart disease. In time, frequent PVCs can weaken the heart muscle. This is especially relevant if the PVCs are triggered by a condition like dilated cardiomyopathy and arrhythmogenic right ventricle cardiomyopathy which can lead to heart failure.
PVCs can trigger symptoms, such as a sensation of your heart beating an beat, or fluttering. It is also possible to feel breathless. The fluttering may be more noticeable when you exercise or consume certain foods or beverages. People with chronic stress or anxiety can have more PVCs and certain medications like amiodarone digoxin, and cocaine may increase the likelihood of developing them.
If you are experiencing occasional PVCs your doctor may suggest lifestyle changes and medication. If they're a frequent occurrence, you may need to avoid certain drinks and foods like alcohol and caffeine. You can also lessen stress by taking enough rest and exercising.
If you've got a lot of PVCs Your doctor might suggest a medical procedure called radiofrequency catheter ablation, which destroys the cells that cause them. Electrophysiologists are the ones who execute this procedure. The treatment is generally successful in treating PVCs and reducing symptoms, but does not prevent them from becoming recurring in the future. In certain instances, it can increase the risk of atrial fibrillation (AFib), which can lead to stroke. This is rare, but it can be life-threatening.
Symptoms
Premature ventricular contractions, or PVCs, can cause your heart appear to flutter or skip a beat. These extra heartbeats are harmless, however you might be advised to consult your physician when they occur frequently or if you notice symptoms such as dizziness or fatigue.
Normaly, electrical signals begin in the sinoatrial, located in the upper right-hand corner of the heart. They then travel to the lower chambers, also known as ventricles, which pump blood. The ventricles then expand to push blood into your lungs and then return to the heart to start the next pumping cycle. A PVC begins in a different location in the Purkinje fibres bundle at the left side of the heart.
When PVCs happen, the heart may feel as if it's racing or pounding. If you experience a few episodes and no other symptoms, the cardiologist probably won't treat you. If you have many PVCs the doctor may suggest that you undergo an electrocardiogram (ECG) to determine the heartbeat for 24 hours. He or she may also recommend wearing a Holter monitor, which will record the heart's rhythm over time to see how many PVCs you have.
If you've had previously from a heart attack or cardiomyopathy - an illness that affects the heart's blood flow - must take their PVCs seriously and speak to a cardiologist about lifestyle changes. This includes abstaining from caffeine, alcohol, and smoking, reducing stress and anxiety, and getting enough rest. A cardiologist may prescribe beta blockers to slow down the heartbeat.
Even if there aren't any other indications, you should still get PVCs checked by an cardiologist if they occur often. These irregular heartbeats could indicate problems with the structure of your heart or to other health conditions and, over time, when they happen frequently enough, they may weaken the heart muscle. But the majority of people with PVCs do not experience any issues. They would like to know if irregular heartbeats or fluttering is normal.
Diagnosis
PVCs can feel like heartbeats that are fluttering especially if they are frequent and intense. People who experience a lot of them may feel they're going to faint. They can also occur during training, even though many athletes who suffer from them don't have issues with their health or heart. PVCs may show up in tests like an electrocardiogram or a Holter monitor. These are sticky patches that have sensors that record electrical signals from your heart. A cardiologist may also use an ultrasound echocardiogram to examine the heart.
A doctor is often able to tell the presence of PVCs by conducting a thorough examination and taking a medical history. Sometimes, however, they may only notice PVCs when examining the patient for another reason, like following an accident or a surgery. repairmywindowsanddoors can detect PVCs as well as other arrhythmias. They may be used to detect heart disease if there is any concerns.
If your cardiologist concludes that your heart's structure is normal, reassurance will be the only remedy required. However, if your symptoms are bothersome or cause you to feel anxious, avoiding alcohol, caffeine and other decongestants and reducing stress can aid. Regular exercise, being at a healthy weight, and drinking enough water can also help reduce the frequency of PVCs. If the symptoms persist or are extreme, talk to your doctor about medications that can control them.
Treatment
If PVCs are rare or do not cause symptoms, they do not usually need treatment. If you are frequently affected or frequently, your doctor may wish to look for any other heart problems 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 in your heart, the electrical signal which triggers your heartbeat starts somewhere different than the sinoatrial (SA) node located in the upper right-hand corner of your heart. This can cause your heart to feel like it skips beats or has extra beats. They're more common among people with heart problems however, it's not clear the reason behind them. PVCs can become more frequent as you age, and they might occur more frequently during exercises.
A physician should perform an ECG and an echocardiogram on a patient that suffers from frequent and painful PVCs to determine if there are structural heart problems. They will probably also do an exercise stress test to determine if the extra beats are due to physical activity. To find out whether there are other reasons for the extra beatings the heart catheterization or a cardiac MRI could be conducted.
Most people who suffer from PVCs do not have any issues and can lead an ordinary life. However, they may increase the risk of developing dangerous heart rhythm issues particularly if you have certain patterns of them. In some instances, this means the heart muscle gets weaker and is having difficulty pumping blood through your body.
Regular exercise and a healthy diet can lower your chances of developing PVCs. Avoid foods that are high in fat and sodium, and limit your consumption of caffeine and tobacco. Stress and sleep are also important. Some medicines may also increase your risk of getting PVCs. If you take any of these medicines, it is important to follow your doctor's advice about eating healthy and exercising as well as taking your medication.
In studies of patients suffering from PVC burdens that are excessive (more than 20% of the total heartbeats) there was a higher incidence of arrhythmia-induced cardiac myopathy was discovered. Some people may need an organ transplant.