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How a VC Can Affect Your Heart

A lot of people experience occasional PVCs and have no issues. If they happen frequently, PVCs may weaken your heart and increase your risk for heart failure.

A bundle of fibers in the upper right part of your heart (the sinoatrial or SA node) usually controls your heart rhythm. Electrical signals travel from this node to the lower heart chambers or ventricles.

Causes

PVCs happen when the electrical impulse that normally starts your heartbeat at the Sinus Node (also called the Sinoatrial or SA node) does not. Instead, the impulse is generated in a different area of your heart, the ventricles, storefront casement window repair leaded glass window repair repair (navigate here) and causes a wrongly timed beat. These extra beats, known as ventricular tachycardia, or ventricular fibrillation, could feel as if your heart skipped a beat or feels like it is fluttering. They can occur infrequently and not cause any symptoms, or they may occur frequently enough to interfere with your quality of life. Your doctor might prescribe medication in the event that they are frequent or cause dizziness, weakness or fatigue.

For the majority of people, PVCs are harmless and do not increase the risk of developing heart disease or other health issues. Over time, repeated PVCs can weaken the heart muscle. This is especially when the PVCs result from conditions like dilated cardiomyopathy and arrhythmogenic right ventricle cardiomyopathy that can cause heart failure.

PVCs can trigger symptoms like a feeling of your heart skipping one beat, or even fluttering. It is also possible to feel exhausted. The fluttering could be more evident when you exercise or have certain drinks or foods. People who experience chronic stress or anxiety can have more PVCs and certain drugs like amiodarone digoxin and cocaine can increase the likelihood of developing them.

If you have occasional PVCs Your doctor might recommend lifestyle changes and medicines. If they're a frequent occurrence, you may need to avoid certain foods and beverages, such as caffeine and alcohol. You can also lessen your stress by taking enough rest and working out.

If you're suffering from a lot of PVCs the doctor might recommend a medical treatment known as radiofrequency catheter ablation, which destroys the cells that are responsible for PVCs. This is done by a specialist known as an electrophysiologist. The treatment is generally successful in treating PVCs, reducing symptoms but it does not stop them from becoming recurring in the future. In some cases, it can increase your risk of atrial fibrillation (AFib) which can lead to stroke. It's not common, but it can be life-threatening.

Symptoms

Premature ventricular contractions, also known as PVCs, can make your heart seem to skip or flutter one beat. These extra heartbeats are harmless, but you may be advised to consult your physician in the event of frequent heartbeats or if you are experiencing symptoms like dizziness or fatigue.

Normally, electrical signals begin in the sinoatrial node located in the top right side of the heart. They move down to the lower chambers (or ventricles) that pump blood. The ventricles then expand to push blood into your lungs and then return to your heart and start the next cycle of pumping. But a PVC begins at a different spot and is located in the bundle of fibers called the Purkinje fibers, in the lower left part of the heart.

When PVCs occur, they can make the heart beat faster or feel as if it skipped one beat. If you've experienced a few episodes and no other symptoms, your doctor will probably not treat you. If you have a lot of PVCs and your doctor might suggest that you undergo an electrocardiogram (ECG) to monitor your heartbeat for a period of 24 hours. He or she might also suggest wearing a Holter Monitor that records your heartbeat and tracks the number of PVCs.

Anyone who has suffered a previous heart attack or cardiomyopathy - a condition which affects the method by which the heart pumps blood - should take their PVCs seriously and speak to an expert in cardiology about lifestyle modifications. Those include avoiding caffeine, alcohol and smoking, managing anxiety and stress and getting enough rest. A cardiologist might prescribe medication to slow the heartbeat for example, a beta blocker.

If you are experiencing frequent PVCs even if don't have any other signs, you should see a cardiologist. These extra heartbeats may signal a problem with the structure of your lungs or heart, and if they occur frequently enough, can weaken your heart muscle. But the majority of people suffering from PVCs don't have any issues. They want to know if the rapid heartbeats, or the skipping of heartbeats is normal.

Diagnosis

PVCs may feel like fluttering or skipped heartbeats, especially if they're frequent or intense. People who experience them frequently may feel faint. Exercise can trigger them, but many athletes who experience them do not have heart or health issues. PVCs may show up on tests such as an electrocardiogram, or Holter monitor. They have sensors that record electrical impulses coming from your heart. A cardiologist could also employ an echocardiogram that uses ultrasound to look at the heart and see how it's functioning.

Most of the time, a doctor will be able to identify if the patient is suffering from PVCs from a patient's history and physical examination. Sometimes, they may only notice them while examining the patient for other reasons, for instance following an accident or surgery. Ambulatory ECG monitoring systems also assist in detecting PVCs and other arrhythmias and could be utilized when there is a concern of cardiac disease.

If your cardiologist has determined that your heart is structurally healthy, reassurance could be all that's needed. If your symptoms are bothersome or make you be anxious, avoiding alcohol, caffeine and other over the drug decongestants and the reduction of stress could help. Regular exercise, being at a healthy weight and drinking enough fluids can reduce your episodes of PVCs. If your symptoms persist or extreme, consult your doctor about medication that could help reduce the symptoms.

Treatment

If PVCs aren't common or don't cause symptoms, they rarely require treatment. If you have them often and frequently, your doctor might want to examine for other heart issues and recommend lifestyle changes or medications. You could also have an operation to rid yourself of them (called radiofrequency catheter ablation).

If you have PVCs in your heart, the electrical signal which causes your heartbeat begins somewhere outside of the sinoatrial (SA) node, which is located in the upper right corner of your heart. This could cause it to feel like your heart skips a beat or has a few extra beats. It's not clear what causes them, but they're more frequent in those with other heart issues. PVCs may increase in frequency as you age, and may occur more often during exercising.

If a patient is experiencing frequent and painful PVCs the doctor should perform an ECG and an echocardiogram to rule out structural heart disease. The doctor will also likely perform an exercise stress test to determine if the extra heartbeats are related to physical exercise. To determine if there are other causes for the extra beatings the heart catheterization or an MRI is possible.

Most people with PVCs are not affected and can lead a normal life. However, they can increase your risk of having dangerous heart rhythm problems especially if you are suffering from certain patterns of them. In certain cases, it means that your heart muscle gets weaker and is unable to pump blood throughout your body.

A healthy and balanced diet and plenty of exercise can help reduce your chances of developing PVCs. Avoid foods that are high in fat and sodium as well as limit caffeine and tobacco. Also, you should try to get enough sleep and reduce stress. Certain medicines can also increase your risk for PVCs. If you take any of these medicines, it is important to follow the advice of your doctor regarding healthy eating, exercising, and taking your medication.

Studies of patients with 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. Some patients may require an organ transplant.