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How a VC Can Affect Your Heart
Many people have occasional PVCs with no problems. But if they occur frequently, PVCs can weaken your heart muscle and increase the risk of heart failure.
A bundle of fibers in the upper right-hand corner of your heart (the sinoatrial or SA node) typically regulates your heart rhythm. Electrical signals are transmitted from there to the lower heart chambers or ventricles.
Causes
PVCs happen when the electrical impulse that normally initiates your heartbeat at a point known as the sinus node (also known as the sinoatrial or SA Node) doesn't. Instead, the impulse begins in a different part of your heart, the ventricles, and causes an untimed beat. These extra beats, called ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation, may feel like your heart skipped a beat or is like it is fluttering. They may happen rarely and cause no symptoms, or they may occur frequently enough to affect your quality of life. Your doctor may prescribe medication if they are frequent or cause dizziness, weakness or fatigue.
PVCs are generally harmless and do not increase the risk of heart disease. Regular PVCs however, may weaken your heart muscle over time. This is particularly true if the PVCs are caused by conditions like dilated cardiomyopathy and arrhythmogenic right-ventricular cardiomyopathy, which can lead to heart failure.
PVCs can cause symptoms such as a feeling of your heart beating an beat, or the feeling of your heart fluttering. You might also feel breathless. The fluttering could be more noticeable when you exercise or consume certain drinks 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 experience occasional PVCs, your doctor may recommend lifestyle changes and medicines. If you have frequent PVCs, your doctor may recommend that you avoid certain foods and drinks like caffeine and alcohol. You can also take steps to lessen your stress levels, 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, which destroys the cells that cause them. This is done by a specialist known as an electrophysiologist. It is generally successful in treating the PVCs and reducing symptoms, but it doesn't stop them from occurring in the future. In certain cases, it may increase the risk of atrial fibrillation (AFib) which is an illness that can lead to stroke. This is rare but can be life-threatening.
Symptoms
Premature ventricular contractions, also known as PVCs, may make your heart seem to flutter or skip a beat. These extra heartbeats are usually harmless, but it is important to talk to your doctor when you experience frequent episodes or signs like dizziness or weakness.
The normal electrical signals start in the sinoatrial, located in the upper right-hand part of the heart. They then travel to the lower chambers, also known as ventricles, where blood pumps are located. The ventricles then expand to push blood into your lungs and return to the heart and start the next cycle of pumping. However, a PVC starts at a different spot that is separate from the bundle of fibers, known as the Purkinje fibers, in the lower left part of the heart.
When PVCs occur, they can make the heart pound or feel like it skipped a beat. If you have just a few episodes but no other symptoms, the doctor probably won't be able to treat you. If you have many PVCs, your doctor may suggest you undergo an electrocardiogram (ECG) to monitor your heartbeat for 24 hours. He or she might also suggest wearing a Holter Monitor, which records your heartbeat and tracks the number of PVCs.
People who have suffered a previous heart attack or cardiomyopathy, an illness that affects method by which the heart pumps blood - must take their PVCs seriously and consult an expert in cardiology about lifestyle changes. These include avoiding alcohol, caffeine and smoking, managing anxiety and stress, and getting enough rest. A cardiologist might prescribe medication to slow heartbeat, like beta blockers.
Even if you don't experience any other indications, you should still get PVCs examined by a cardiologist if they happen frequently. These heartbeats that are irregular can point to a problem with the structure of your heart or other health issues and, over time, when they are frequent enough, they could weaken the heart muscle. www.repairmywindowsanddoors.co.uk who suffer from PVCs don't experience any issues. They just want to be aware that the fluttering and racing heartbeats aren't normal.
Diagnosis
PVCs can be akin to heartbeats that are fluttering, particularly if they're frequent and intense. People who experience a lot of them may feel they're going to faint. They can also occur with training, even though many athletes who experience them do not have any issues in their heart or health. PVCs may show up in tests like an electrocardiogram (ECG) or Holter monitor. These patches have sensors which record electrical impulses that come from your heart. A cardiologist could also employ an echocardiogram, which uses ultrasound to look at the heart and observe how it's working.
A doctor can often tell the presence of PVCs by conducting a thorough examination and taking a medical history. Sometimes it is possible that they only notice PVCs when examining patients for a different reason, such as after an accident or surgery. Ambulatory ECG monitors can detect PVCs, as well as other arrhythmias. They are able to detect cardiac disease in the event of any concerns.
If your cardiologist determines that your heart's structure is normal, reassurance is the only treatment needed. If your symptoms are troubling or cause you to feel anxious, avoiding alcohol, caffeine and over-the drug decongestants and reducing stress may aid. Regular exercise and maintaining a healthy weight and drinking enough fluids can help reduce the frequency of PVCs. If your symptoms persist or severe, talk to your doctor about medication that may be able to reduce these symptoms.
Treatment
If PVCs aren't common or don't cause symptoms, they do not usually require treatment. If they are frequent your doctor may need to examine for heart issues or suggest lifestyle changes. You might also get a procedure to get rid of them (called radiofrequency catheter ablation).
If you have PVCs in your heart, the electrical signal which creates your heartbeat is located different than the sinoatrial (SA) node located in the upper right-hand corner of your heart. This can make it feel like your heart skips beats or is beating faster. It's not known what causes these, but they're more common in people who have other heart issues. PVCs may increase in frequency as you age, and might occur more frequently during exercise.
If a patient is experiencing frequent and painful PVCs doctors should conduct an ECG and an echocardiogram to rule out heart disease that is structural. The doctor may also conduct an exercise stress test in order to determine if the extra heartbeats are caused by physical activity. To determine if there are other causes for the extra beats the heart catheterization or a cardiac MRI can be performed.
Most people with PVCs do not have any issues and live a normal life. But they can increase your risk of having dangerous heart rhythm issues, especially if you have certain patterns of them. In certain cases, it means the heart muscle gets weaker and is unable to pump blood through your body.
A regular, healthy diet and plenty of exercise can reduce your risk of developing PVCs. Avoid foods that are high in sodium and fat and reduce your intake of caffeine and tobacco. Sleep and stress are also important. Certain medications can increase your risk for PVCs. If you are taking any of these medications it is essential to follow your doctor's advice regarding healthy eating and exercising as well as taking your medication.
In studies of patients with PVC burdens that are high (more than 20% of heartbeats) the higher rate of arrhythmia-induced cardiac myopathy was discovered. Some people may need a heart transplant.