How a VC Can Affect Your Heart

PVCs are common and may be experienced by many people without causing any problems. But if they occur frequently, PVCs can weaken your heart muscle and increase your risk of heart failure.

A bundle of fibers in the top right portion of your heart (the sinoatrial node, also known as SA) typically controls your heart's rhythm. Electrical signals travel from there to the lower heart chambers or ventricles.

Causes

PVCs are caused when the electrical impulse that normally initiates your heartbeat at the Sinus Node (also known as the Sinoatrial or the SA node) is not initiated. Instead, the impulse begins in another area of your heart called the ventricles and triggers a mistimed beat. These extra beats, also known as ventricular tachycardia, or ventricular fibrillation, can feel like your heart skipped a beat, or it feels like it is fluttering. They can happen infrequently, causing no symptoms, but they could be frequent enough to impact your quality of living. Your doctor may prescribe medicine if they are frequent or cause dizziness, weakness or fatigue.

PVCs are generally harmless and do not increase your risk of developing heart disease. In time, frequent PVCs can weaken the heart muscle. This is particularly true if they are caused by a heart disease such as dilated cardiomyopathy arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, which may lead to symptomatic heart failure.

PVCs can trigger symptoms, such as a sensation of your heart skipping a beat, or the feeling of your heart fluttering. It is also possible to feel breathless. The fluttering may be more noticeable when you exercise or have certain drinks or residential windows repair foods. People who suffer from chronic anxiety or stress may have more PVCs and certain drugs like amiodarone digoxin, and cocaine may increase the risk of developing them.

If you experience occasional PVCs, your doctor may suggest lifestyle changes and medication. If you experience frequent PVCs, your physician may recommend avoiding certain foods and drinks like caffeine and alcohol. You can also take steps to reduce your stress levels, and get plenty of sleep and exercise.

If you have many PVCs Your doctor might recommend a medical procedure referred to as radiofrequency catheter ablation. This procedure destroys the cells that cause them. This is done by a specialist, known as an electrophysiologist. The treatment is usually effective in treating PVCs and reducing symptoms, but does not prevent them from becoming recurring in the future. In some cases it can increase your risk of atrial fibrillation (AFib), which can cause a stroke. This is rare but can be life-threatening.

Signs and symptoms

Premature ventricular contractions, or PVCs, may make your heart seem to flutter or skip one beat. These extra heartbeats can be harmless, however you might want to consult your doctor in the event of frequent heartbeats or if you are experiencing symptoms such as dizziness or fatigue.

Normally, electrical signals begin in the sinoatrial node which is in the top right side of the heart, and travel down to the lower chambers (or ventricles) that pump blood. The ventricles then contract to pump blood into the lungs. They then return to the center to begin the next cycle of pumping. However, a PVC begins in a different place 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 cause the heart beat faster or feel like it skipped a beat. If you only have a few episodes, and no other symptoms are present the cardiologist will likely not be able to treat you. If you have many PVCs, your doctor may recommend that you undergo an electrocardiogram (ECG) to monitor your heartbeat for a period of 24 hours. They may also recommend wearing a Holter Monitor, which records your heartbeat and tracks the number of PVCs.

Anyone who has suffered a heart attack in the past or have cardiomyopathy -- a condition that alters the way the heart pumps blood -- must be aware of their PVCs and consult an expert in cardiology about lifestyle changes. This includes avoiding caffeine, alcohol and smoking, managing anxiety and stress and ensuring adequate sleep. A cardiologist might prescribe medications to slow heartbeat, for example, a beta blocker.

Even if you don't experience any other indications however, sliding window repair you should have PVCs examined by an cardiologist if they occur often. These extra heartbeats can point to an issue with the structure of your heart or other health conditions and, over time when they are frequent enough, they may weaken the heart muscle. The majority of people with PVCs don't experience any problems. They want to know if the irregular heartbeats or fluttering is normal.

Diagnosis

PVCs may feel like fluttering or skipped heartbeats, especially if they are frequent or intense. People who experience them frequently may feel weak. Exercise can trigger them, Skylight window replacement but many athletes who experience these symptoms do not have heart or health problems. PVCs may show up on tests such as an electrocardiogram or Holter monitor. They use sticky patches with sensors on them to record electrical impulses coming from your heart. A cardiologist may also use an ultrasound echocardiogram to examine the heart.

Most of the time, a doctor will be able to tell whether the patient is suffering from PVCs from a history and physical examination. Sometimes however, they might only notice PVCs when examining patients for a different reason, like following an accident or surgery. Ambulatory ECG monitoring systems can assist in detecting PVCs and other arrhythmias and they might be used if there's any concern of a cardiac condition.

If your cardiologist finds that your heart is structurally normal, sliding window repair reassurance will be the only treatment needed. If your symptoms are bothersome, or cause you to feel anxious, staying away from alcohol, caffeine and over-the counter decongestants, and reducing stress may aid. Regular exercise and maintaining a healthy weight, and drinking enough fluids can all aid in reducing the frequency of PVCs. If your symptoms persist or extreme, consult your doctor about medication that may be able to control them.

Treatment

If PVCs don't cause symptoms or happen rarely they aren't usually in need of treatment. If they are frequent your doctor may need to examine for heart conditions or recommend lifestyle modifications. You could also undergo a procedure (called radiofrequency cathode ablation) to eliminate them.

If you have PVCs The electrical signal that causes your heartbeat is generated from a place outside of the sinoatrial node (SA node) in the top right corner of your heart. This can cause your heart to feel like it skips beats or has extra beats. PVCs are more frequent among those suffering from heart disease however, it's not clear what causes them. PVCs can increase in frequency as you age, and may occur more frequently during exercising.

If a patient is experiencing frequent and painful PVCs doctors should conduct an ECG and an echocardiogram to determine if there is a structural heart problem. They should also conduct an exercise stress test to determine whether the additional beats 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.

The majority of people who suffer from PVCs do not suffer from any problems and can enjoy an ordinary life. They could increase your risk for dangerous heart rhythm disorders particularly if they happen in certain patterns. In some cases this means that the heart muscle becomes weaker and has difficulty pumping blood throughout your body.

A healthy and balanced diet and regular exercise can reduce your chances of developing PVCs. You should avoid foods that are high in fat and sodium, Window Doctor and you should also reduce your intake of caffeine and tobacco. Stress and sleep are also important. Certain medications can increase the risk of developing PVCs. If you take any of these medicines, it is important that you follow the advice of your doctor regarding healthy eating exercising, as well as taking your medication.

In studies of patients suffering from PVC burdens that are high (more than 20% of total heartbeats) the higher rate of arrhythmia-induced cardiac myopathy was found. This could lead to the need for a heart transplant in some people.