How a VC Can Affect Your Heart

PVCs are common and can be experienced by a variety of people without causing any problems. If they are frequent, PVCs may weaken your heart and increase your risk for heart failure.

A bundle of fibers located in the upper right-hand corner of your heart (the sinoatrial or SA node) typically controls the heart's rhythm. Electrical signals are transmitted to the ventricles or lower chambers of your heart.

Causes

PVCs occur when the electrical impulse that normally starts your heartbeat at the Sinus Node (also known as the Sinoatrial or the SA node) is not initiated. The impulse actually begins in the ventricles and causes a mistimed heartbeat. These extra beats are known as ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation. It may feel like the heart skipped a beating or feels fluttering. They can happen infrequently and cause no symptoms, or they can happen often enough to impact your daily life. If they occur frequently or cause weakness, dizziness, or fatigue, your doctor may treat them with medication.

For the majority of people, PVCs are harmless and aren't likely to increase your risk of heart disease or other health problems. Frequent PVCs however, could weaken your heart muscle over time. This is particularly relevant if the PVCs result from an illness like dilated Cardiomyopathy and arrhythmogenic right-ventricular cardiomyopathy, which can lead to heart failure.

The signs of PVCs include feeling like your heart beats faster or is fluttering, and you feel breathless. The fluttering may be more noticeable when you exercise or consume certain foods or beverages. PVCs are more common in those suffering from chronic anxiety or stress. Certain medications, such as digoxin, amiodarone and cocaine, can also increase the risk.

If you have occasional PVCs your doctor may recommend lifestyle changes and medication. If you are prone to frequent PVCs, your physician may recommend avoiding certain foods and drinks, like caffeine and alcohol. You can also take steps to lessen your stress levels, and take advantage of plenty of rest and exercise.

If you're experiencing lots of PVCs the doctor might recommend a medical treatment known as radiofrequency catheter ablation, which eliminates the cells that cause PVCs. Electrophysiologists are the ones who carry out this procedure. It is generally effective in treating PVCs and reducing symptoms however, it doesn't prevent them from occurring in the future. In certain cases, it may increase the risk of developing atrial fibrillation (AFib) which is which can lead to stroke. This is rare but can be life-threatening.

Symptoms

Premature ventricular contracts or PVCs may cause your heart to skip or flutter. These extra heartbeats are generally harmless, but you should talk to your upvc doctor near me when you experience frequent episodes or other symptoms such as dizziness or weakness.

The electrical signals typically begin at the sinoatrial junction, located in the top right portion of the heart, and move down to the lower chambers (or ventricles) which pump blood. The ventricles contract to force blood into the lung. They return to the heart's center to begin the next cycle of pumping. A PVC starts at a different spot in the Purkinje fibres bundle in the left side of the glass doctor heart.

When PVCs happen, the heart may feel as if it's beating faster or slower. If you only have a few episodes, and no other symptoms are present the cardiologist will likely not be able to treat you. But if you have a large number of PVCs and double glazing Doctors you have other symptoms, your doctor might suggest an electrocardiogram, or ECG, to measure your heart rate over a 24-hour period. The doctor may also recommend wearing a Holter monitor that records the heart's rhythm over time to determine the number of PVCs you have.

People who have suffered an earlier heart attack or have suffered from cardiomyopathy - an illness that affects the method by which the heart pumps blood - must take their PVCs seriously and speak to a cardiologist regarding lifestyle changes. These include avoiding caffeine, alcohol and smoking, reducing stress and anxiety and getting enough rest. A cardiologist can prescribe beta blockers to slow the heartbeat.

Even if you don't have any other indications however, you should have PVCs examined by an cardiologist if they occur frequently. These irregular heartbeats could indicate a problem in the structure of your heart or lungs, and if they happen often enough, can weaken your heart muscle. But most people with PVCs don't have any issues. They want to know if the fluttering heartbeats or skipping heartbeats is normal.

Diagnosis

PVCs may feel like heartbeats that flutter, especially if they are frequent and intense. People who get lots of them may feel they're going to faint. They can also happen with exercising, but most athletes who suffer from them do not have any issues in their heart or health. PVCs may show up in tests like an electrocardiogram or a Holter monitor. These patches contain sensors that record electrical impulses coming from your heart. A cardiologist can also perform an ultrasound echocardiogram for examining the heart.

A doctor may be able to identify if someone is suffering from PVCs through a medical history and physical examination. Sometimes however, they might only be able to detect PVCs when they examine patients for a different reason such as following an accident or surgical procedure. Ambulatory ECG monitoring systems can help detect PVCs and other arrhythmias and could be utilized if there's any concern of heart disease.

If your cardiologist concludes that your heart is structurally normal, reassurance will be the only treatment required. If your symptoms are causing discomfort or cause you to feel anxious, staying away from alcohol, caffeine, and other decongestants and reducing stress can help. Regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, and drinking enough fluids can help reduce the frequency of PVCs. If you are experiencing symptoms that are persistent or severe, speak to your doctor about medication that could help reduce these symptoms.

Treatment

If PVCs don't cause symptoms or happen rarely generally, they don't require treatment. If you have them often and frequently, your doctor might want to look for other heart issues and suggest lifestyle changes or medicine. You could also have a procedure (called radiofrequency cathode ablation) to eliminate them.

If you have PVCs, the electrical signal that causes your heartbeat begins somewhere other than the sinoatrial node (SA node) located in the upper right side of your heart. This can cause your heart to feel like it skips a beating or has additional beats. It's not clear what causes them, but they're more common in people who have other heart issues. PVCs may increase in frequency as we age and can occur more frequently during exercising.

A window & door doctor should conduct an ECG as well as an echocardiogram on a patient who suffers from frequent and painful PVCs to identify structural heart conditions. They may also perform an exercise stress test to see whether the extra beats are caused by physical activity. To determine whether there are other reasons for the extra beatings, a heart catheterization or cardiac MRI is possible.

Most people who suffer from PVCs are not affected and live a normal life. They can increase your risk for dangerous heart rhythm disorders particularly if they develop in certain patterns. In some instances, this means that the heart muscle becomes weaker and is unable to pump blood through your body.

A healthy and balanced diet and a lot of exercise can help reduce your risk of developing PVCs. Avoid foods high in fat and sodium and limit your consumption of caffeine and tobacco. Also, you should try to get enough sleep and manage stress. Certain medicines can also increase your risk of PVCs. If you are taking one of these medicines, it's important to follow the doctor's advice regarding eating healthy, exercising and taking your medication.

In studies of patients with PVC burdens that are high (more than 20% of total heartbeats) the higher rate of arrhythmia-induced myopathy in the heart was observed. This can lead to the need for a heart transplant in certain individuals.