How a VC Can Affect Your Heart

PVCs are common and can be experienced by a wide range of people with no cause for concern. However, if they happen frequently, PVCs can weaken your heart muscle and increase the risk of heart failure.

The heart's rhythm is usually controlled by a group of fibers that are located in the upper right-hand part of your heart. This is known as the sinoatrial nerve, or SA. Electrical signals are transmitted to the lower heart chambers or ventricles.

Causes

PVCs occur when the electrical impulse which normally starts your heartbeat at the Sinus Node (also known as the Sinoatrial or SA node) is not initiated. The impulse actually begins in the ventricles, which causes an irregular heartbeat. These extra beats, called ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation, may feel like your heart skipped a beat or feels like it is fluttering. They may happen rarely and not cause any symptoms, or they can happen often enough to interfere with your quality of life. If they happen frequently or cause dizziness, weakness, or window screen replacement fatigue, your doctor might treat them with medicine.

PVCs are generally harmless and do not increase your risk of heart disease. Frequent PVCs, however, can weaken your heart muscle over time. This is particularly true if the PVCs result from conditions like dilated cardiomyopathy and arrhythmogenic right ventricle cardiomyopathy that can lead to heart failure.

The signs of PVCs include feeling like your heart skips a beat or window doctor flutters, and you may feel exhausted. The fluttering may be more noticeable when you exercise or consume certain foods or drinks. People with chronic anxiety or stress may have more PVCs and certain medications like amiodarone digoxin and cocaine can increase the likelihood of developing them.

If you experience occasional PVCs Your doctor may suggest lifestyle changes and medications. If they are a regular occurrence, you may need to avoid certain drinks and foods, such as caffeine and alcohol. You can also reduce your stress levels, and get plenty of sleep and exercise.

If you have many PVCs Your doctor might suggest a medical procedure called radiofrequency catheter ablation. This procedure destroys the cells that cause them. Electrophysiologists are the ones who carry out this procedure. The treatment is generally successful in treating PVCs and reducing symptoms, but it does not stop them from returning in the future. In certain cases it can increase your risk of having atrial fibrillation (AFib) which could result in a stroke. This isn't common however it could be life-threatening.

Symptoms

Premature ventricular contractures PVCs, also known as PVCs, can cause your heart to skip or to flutter. These extra heartbeats are generally harmless, however, you should talk to your doctor when you experience frequent episodes or other symptoms such as dizziness or weakness.

The normal electrical signals start in the sinoatrial, located in the upper right part of the heart. They then travel to the lower chambers, or ventricles, that pump blood. The ventricles then contract to propel blood into the lungs, and then return to your heart to start the next cycle of pumping. But a PVC starts in a different location that is separate from the bundle of fibers, known as the Purkinje fibers in the left-hand side of the heart.

When PVCs occur, the heart may feel as if it's beating faster or slower. If you've experienced just a few episodes but no other symptoms, your doctor probably won't be able to treat you. However, if you have number of PVCs the doctor may recommend an electrocardiogram, also known as an ECG, to measure the heart's rate over 24 hours. He or she might also recommend wearing a Holter monitor, which will record your heart rhythm over time, allowing you to see the number of PVCs you have.

People who have had a previous heart attack or have cardiomyopathy -an illness that alters the way the heart pumps blood should be aware of their PVCs and speak with a cardiologist about lifestyle changes. These include avoiding alcohol, caffeine and smoking, reducing anxiety and stress, and getting enough rest. A cardiologist can prescribe medications to slow heartbeat, like a beta blocker.

Even if there aren't any other symptoms however, you should have PVCs checked by an cardiologist if they occur often. These extra heartbeats may be a sign of a problem with the structure of your heart or lungs and if they happen often enough, can weaken the heart muscle. But most people with PVCs do not experience any issues. They want to know if the irregular heartbeats or fluttering is normal.

Diagnosis

PVCs can be felt as fluttering or skipped heartbeats, particularly when they're frequent or intense. People who get lots of them might feel like they're about to faint. They can also happen with training, even though many athletes who experience them don't have any problems with their heart or health. PVCs could show up in tests such as an electrocardiogram (ECG) or residential windows repair Holter monitor. These are sticky patches that have sensors to record electrical impulses from your heart. A cardiologist may also use an ultrasound echocardiogram to examine the heart.

Often, a doctor will be able to determine if the patient has PVCs through a medical history and dormer window repair physical examination. Sometimes however, they might only notice PVCs when examining patients for a different reason such as following an accident or a surgery. Ambulatory ECG monitoring systems can also assist in detecting PVCs and other arrhythmias, and can be used if there's any concern of heart disease.

If your cardiologist determines your heart is structurally healthy, reassurance may be all you need. However, if your symptoms are causing discomfort or make you feel anxious, avoiding alcohol, caffeine, and other decongestants and reducing stress can help. Regular exercise and maintaining a healthy weight, and drinking enough fluids can aid in reducing the frequency of PVCs. If you are experiencing symptoms that are persistent or severe, speak to your doctor about medications that could help manage these symptoms.

Treatment

If PVCs aren't common or don't cause symptoms, they don't usually require treatment. If you have them often, your doctor may want to look for any other heart problems and suggest lifestyle changes or medications. You could also undergo a procedure (called radiofrequency cathode ablation) to eliminate them.

If you suffer from PVCs The electrical signal that triggers your heartbeat is generated from a place different than the sinoatrial nerve (SA node) located in the upper right side of your heart. This can cause your heart to feel as if it skips a beating or arched window repair has extra beats. It's not known what causes these symptoms, but they're frequent in those with other heart conditions. PVCs may increase in frequency as you age, and might occur more frequently during exercise.

If a patient has frequent and painful PVCs the doctor should conduct an ECG and an echocardiogram to rule out structural heart disease. They may also perform an exercise stress test to see whether the extra beats are due to physical activity. A heart catheterization or cardiac MRI or nuclear perfusion study can be done to look for other causes of the increased beats.

The majority of people who suffer from PVCs are not affected and live a normal life. But they can increase your risk of having dangerous heart rhythm problems, especially if you have certain patterns of them. In some cases, that means the heart muscle gets weaker and has trouble pumping blood through your body.

A regular, healthy diet and a lot of exercise can reduce your risk of developing PVCs. You should avoid foods that are high in sodium and fat as well as limit caffeine and tobacco. Sleep and stress are equally important. Certain medications can increase your risk of PVCs. If you take any of these medicines, it is important that you follow your doctor's advice 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 myopathy in the heart was observed. This could lead to the need for a heart transplant in certain people.