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 occur regularly, PVCs can weaken your heart muscle and increase the risk of heart failure.

The rhythm of your heart is usually controlled by a group of fibers that are located in the upper right-hand corner of your heart. This is called the sinoatrial node or SA. Electrical signals travel from this node to the lower chambers of your heart or ventricles.

Causes

PVCs are caused when the electrical impulse that normally triggers your heartbeat at the Sinus Node (also known as the Sinoatrial or the SA node) is not initiated. The impulse actually starts in the ventricles, causing an untimed heartbeat. These extra beats are also known as ventricular tachycardia, and ventricular fibrillation. They may feel like the heart beats faster or feels fluttering. They can happen infrequently without causing any symptoms, but they may also happen frequently enough to impact your quality of life. Your doctor may prescribe medicine when they occur frequently or cause dizziness, weakness or fatigue.

For the majority of people, PVCs are harmless and don't increase your risk of heart disease or other health issues. Frequent PVCs however, could weaken the heart muscle over time. This is particularly relevant if the PVCs are triggered by a condition like dilated cardiomyopathy and arrhythmogenic right ventricle cardiomyopathy which can lead to heart failure.

PVCs can cause symptoms such as a feeling of your heart beating a beat, or fluttering. It is also possible to feel exhausted. The fluttering may be more evident when you exercise, or consume certain drinks or foods. PVCs are more prevalent for those who suffer from chronic anxiety or stress. Some medications, like digoxin, amiodarone, and cocaine, may increase the risk.

If you have occasional PVCs Your doctor might suggest lifestyle changes and medication. If they are a regular occurrence, you may need to avoid certain foods and beverages like alcohol and caffeine. 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 suggest a medical procedure known as radiofrequency catheter ablation. It eliminates the cells that are responsible for them. Electrophysiologists are the ones who carry out this procedure. It is usually successful in treating the PVCs and reducing symptoms but it doesn't stop them from occurring in the future. In certain instances, it can increase the risk of having atrial fibrillation (AFib) which is an illness that can lead to stroke. It is not common, but it could be life-threatening.

Symptoms

Premature ventricular contractions, or PVCs can cause your heart to skip or to flutter. These heartbeats that are not normal can be harmless, but you might want to consult your doctor in the event of frequent heartbeats or if you are experiencing symptoms such as dizziness or fatigue.

The normal electrical signals start in the sinoatrial area, which is located in the upper right corner of the heart. They then travel to the lower chambers, also known as ventricles, where blood pumps are located. Then, the ventricles expand to push blood into your lungs, and then return to your heart and start the next cycle of pumping. But a pvc doctor near me begins at a different spot, from the bundle of fibers called the Purkinje fibers in the bottom left portion of the heart.

When PVCs occur, they make the heart beat faster or feel like it skipped a beat. If you have only one or two episodes, and no other symptoms are present your cardiologist may not be able to treat you. If you've got a lot of PVCs, your doctor may suggest you undergo an electrocardiogram (ECG) to determine the door doctor heartbeat for 24 hours. The doctor may also suggest wearing a Holter monitor that records your heart rhythm over time, allowing you to see the number of PVCs you have.

People who have suffered an earlier heart attack or have suffered from cardiomyopathy - an illness that affects the heart's blood flow - should take their PVCs very seriously and speak to a cardiologist about lifestyle changes. These include the avoidance of alcohol, caffeine, and smoking, reducing stress and anxiety and getting enough rest. A cardiologist may prescribe medication to slow the heartbeat like a beta blocker.

If you are experiencing frequent PVCs even if do not have any other signs, you should see a cardiologist. These extra heartbeats may signal a problem with the structure of your heart or lungs and if they occur frequently enough, they can weaken your heart muscle. Most people who suffer from PVCs do not have any problems. They simply want to be aware that the fluttering or skippy heartbeats aren't typical.

Diagnosis

PVCs can appear to be fluttering or skip heartbeats, especially when they're frequent or intense. People who experience them regularly might feel faint. They can also occur during exercising, but most athletes who suffer from them do not have any issues with their heart or health. PVCs may show up in tests like an electrocardiogram or a Holter monitor. These patches have sensors that record electrical impulses coming from your heart. A cardiologist can also perform an ultrasound echocardiogram to examine the heart.

A doctor is often able to tell the presence of PVCs by examining them and taking their medical history. Sometimes it is possible that they not be aware of PVCs until they examine the patient for another reason, such as after an accident or surgery. Ambulatory ECG monitors are able to detect PVCs as well as other arrhythmias. They are able to detect heart disease if there is any concern.

If your cardiologist finds that your heart's structure is normal, reassurance is the only treatment required. If your symptoms are troubling or cause you to feel anxious, avoiding alcohol, caffeine and over-the prescription decongestants, as well as reducing stress may aid. Engaging in regular exercise, keeping at a healthy weight and drinking enough water can also help reduce the frequency of PVCs. If your symptoms are persistent or severe, speak to your physician about the medications that could be able to manage the symptoms.

Treatment

If PVCs don't cause symptoms or are not frequent, they usually don't need treatment. If you have them often or frequently, your doctor may wish to check for other heart issues and recommend lifestyle changes or medicine. You might also get an intervention to get rid of them (called radiofrequency catheter ablation).

If you have PVCs The electrical signal that triggers your heartbeat begins somewhere different than the sinoatrial nerve (SA node) in the top right part of your heart. This could cause your heart to feel as if it skips beats or has extra beats. It's not clear what causes these, but they're more common in people with other heart conditions. PVCs are more frequent as we age and can occur more frequently during exercises.

A doctor should conduct an ECG as well as an echocardiogram for a patient who has frequent and painful PVCs to rule out structural heart diseases. The doctor will also perform an exercise stress test to determine if the additional heartbeats are related to physical exercise. A heart catheterization, cardiac MRI or nuclear perfusion study could be performed to find other causes of the extra beats.

Most people who suffer from PVCs do not experience any issues and can live an ordinary life. However, they can increase your risk of having dangerous heart rhythm issues especially if you are suffering from certain patterns of them. In some instances, this means that the heart muscle gets weaker and has difficulty pumping blood throughout the body.

A regular, healthy diet and a lot of exercise can help reduce your risk of developing PVCs. You should avoid foods that are high in sodium and fat, door and window doctor you should also restrict your intake of tobacco and caffeine. Sleep and stress are equally important. Certain medications can increase the risk of developing PVCs. If you are taking any of these medicines, it is important to follow your doctor's recommendations regarding healthy eating and exercising as well as taking your medication.

Studies of patients with a high burden of PVCs (that's more than 20 percent of their total heart beats) discovered that they had a higher rate of arrhythmia-induced cardiomyopathy. Certain people may require an organ transplant.