How a VC Can Affect Your Heart
Many people experience occasional PVCs with no problems. If they happen frequently, PVCs may weaken your heart and increase the chance of suffering from heart failure.
A bundle of fibers in the top right portion of your heart (the sinoatrial, or SA, node) typically regulates your heart rhythm. Electrical signals travel from there to the lower chambers of your heart, or ventricles.
Causes
PVCs occur by the electrical impulse that normally starts your heartbeat at the Sinus Node (also called the Sinoatrial or SA node) is not initiated. Instead, the impulse starts in another area of your heart--the ventricles--and causes a wrongly timed beat. These extra beats are also called ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation. It may feel like the heart skipped a beat or feels like it is fluttering. They can occur rarely and not cause any symptoms, but they can be frequent enough to affect your quality of living. If they occur frequently or cause weakness, dizziness or fatigue, your doctor may treat them with medication.
PVCs are generally harmless and do not increase your risk of heart disease. In time, repeated PVCs can weaken the heart muscle. This is especially when the PVCs are triggered by conditions like dilated cardiomyopathy and arrhythmogenic right ventricle cardiomyopathy which can cause heart failure.
The signs of PVCs include feeling like your heart skips a beat or it flutters. You may feel exhausted. The fluttering could be more apparent if you exercise, or eat or drink certain drinks or foods. People with chronic anxiety or stress can have more PVCs and certain medications such as amiodarone, digoxin, and cocaine may increase the risk of developing them.
If you have occasional PVCs Your doctor might suggest lifestyle changes and medication. If you experience frequent PVCs, your doctor may recommend that you avoid certain drinks and foods, like caffeine and alcohol. You can also take steps to lessen your stress, and take advantage of plenty of rest and exercise.
If you've got a lot of PVCs, your doctor may recommend a medical procedure referred to as radiofrequency catheter ablation. It eliminates the cells responsible for them. This procedure is performed by a specialist known as an electrophysiologist. The treatment is typically successful in treating PVCs and reducing symptoms, but it does not stop them from returning in the future. In certain instances, it can increase the risk of atrial fibrillation (AFib), a condition that can lead to stroke. This is rare but can be life-threatening.
Symptoms
Premature ventricular contractions or PVCs, may make your heart seem to skip or flutter a beat. These extra heartbeats are usually harmless, however, you should talk to your doctor when you experience frequent episodes or symptoms like dizziness or weakness.
The electrical signals normally begin in the sinoatrial area, which is located in the upper right-hand corner of the heart. They then move to the lower chambers, also known as ventricles, that pump blood. The ventricles contract to force blood into the lung. They return to the heart's center to start the next cycle of pumping. A PVC begins in a different location that is the Purkinje fibers are located in the left-hand side of the heart.
When PVCs occur, they make the heart beat or feel as if it skipped one beat. If you've experienced only a few episodes, but no other symptoms, your doctor probably won't be able to treat you. If you have a lot of PVCs the doctor may suggest you undergo an electrocardiogram (ECG) to determine the heartbeat over the course of 24 hours. He or she might also recommend wearing a Holter Monitor which tracks your heart rhythm and counts the number of PVCs.
If you've had a previous heart attack or have cardiomyopathy -an illness that affects the way that the heart pumps blood- should be aware of their PVCs and consult an expert in cardiology about lifestyle changes. This includes abstaining from caffeine, alcohol, and smoking, reducing anxiety and stress, and getting enough rest. A cardiologist may prescribe beta blockers to slow down the heartbeat.
Even if you don't experience any other signs, you should still get PVCs checked by an cardiologist if they occur frequently. These heartbeats that are irregular can indicate problems with the structure of your heart or to other health conditions, and over time, if they occur often enough, they could weaken the heart muscle. But the majority of people suffering from PVCs do not experience any issues. They just want to know that the fluttering or skipping heartbeats aren't normal.
Diagnosis
PVCs can be akin to heartbeats that are fluttering, especially if they are frequent and intense. Patients who have a lot of them might feel like they're about to faint. They can also happen with exercise, though many athletes who suffer from them don't have issues with their health or heart. www.repairmywindowsanddoors.co.uk could 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 ultrasound echocardiogram to study the heart.
Often, a doctor will be able to tell whether a person is suffering from PVCs from a patient's history and physical exam. Sometimes, they may not be aware of them until they examine the patient for other reasons, for instance after an accident or surgery. Ambulatory ECG monitoring systems also assist in detecting PVCs and other arrhythmias and could be utilized if there's any concern of a cardiac condition.
If your cardiologist has determined that your heart is structurally healthy, reassurance may be all that's needed. If your symptoms are causing discomfort or make you feel anxious, staying away from alcohol, caffeine, and other decongestants as well as reducing stress levels can aid. Regular exercise and maintaining a healthy weight and drinking enough fluids can all help to reduce the frequency of PVCs. If you are experiencing symptoms that are persistent or severe, speak to your doctor about medication that may be able to manage these symptoms.
Treatment
If PVCs are rare or do not cause symptoms, they rarely require treatment. If you are frequently affected or frequently, your doctor may wish to check for other heart issues and recommend lifestyle changes or medicine. You may also undergo a procedure (called radiofrequency cathode ablation) to eliminate of them.
If you suffer from PVCs in your heart the electrical signal that causes your heartbeat begins somewhere different than the sinoatrial (SA) node that is located in the upper right corner of your heart. This can cause your heart to feel like it skips a beating or has extra beats. They're more common among people who suffer from heart issues however it's unclear what causes them. PVCs may increase in frequency as you age, and may occur more often during exercising.
A doctor should perform an ECG along with an echocardiogram for a patient who has frequent and painful PVCs to rule out structural heart diseases. They will probably also do an exercise stress test to see if the extra beats are due to physical exercise. A heart catheterization, cardiac MRI or nuclear perfusion study can be done to look for other causes of the increased beats.
Most people who suffer from PVCs do not suffer from any issues and can live a normal lifestyle. However, they may increase the risk of developing dangerous heart rhythm issues, especially if you have certain patterns of them. In some cases, this means that the heart muscle gets weaker and has difficulty pumping blood throughout the body.
Regular exercise and a balanced diet can lower the chances of developing PVCs. Avoid foods that are high in sodium and fat and limit caffeine and tobacco. Also, you should try to sleep enough and manage stress. Some medicines may also increase your risk for PVCs. If you're taking one of these drugs it's crucial to follow the doctor's advice about a healthy diet, exercise and taking your medication.
In studies of patients with PVC burdens that are excessive (more than 20% of total heartbeats), a higher rate arrhythmia-induced cardiac myopathy was discovered. Certain people may require an organ transplant.