How a VC Can Affect Your Heart
PVCs are common and can be experienced by a variety of people without causing any issues. If they are frequent, PVCs may weaken your heart and increase the risk of heart failure.
A bundle of fibers in the upper right part of your heart (the sinoatrial or SA node) usually controls your heart's rhythm. Electrical signals are transmitted from there to the lower heart chambers or ventricles.
Causes
PVCs are caused when the electrical impulse that normally starts your heartbeat at the Sinus Node (also called the Sinoatrial or SA node) is not initiated. www.repairmywindowsanddoors.co.uk begins in the ventricles, causing a mistimed heartbeat. These extra beats, called ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation, could feel as if your heart skipped a beat or feels like it is fluttering. They can happen infrequently without causing any symptoms, but they can also happen frequently enough to affect your standard of life. If they are very frequent or cause dizziness, weakness, or fatigue, your doctor may treat them with medicine.
In most people, PVCs are harmless and aren't likely to increase your risk of heart disease or other health issues. Regular PVCs however, may weaken your heart muscle over time. This is particularly true if they are caused by a heart disease such as dilated cardiomyopathy arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, which could lead to symptoms of heart failure.
PVCs can cause symptoms like a feeling of your heart skipping one beat, or even fluttering. It is also possible to feel breathless. The fluttering may be more evident when you exercise or consume certain drinks or food items. People who suffer from chronic anxiety or stress may have more PVCs and certain medications such as amiodarone, digoxin, and cocaine can increase the chance of developing them.
If you are experiencing occasional PVCs Your doctor might recommend lifestyle changes and medicines. If they're a frequent occurrence, you may need to avoid some drinks and foods like alcohol and caffeine. You can also reduce your stress, and get plenty of sleep and exercise.
If you're suffering from lots of PVCs The doctor may suggest a medical procedure called radiofrequency catheter ablation. It destroys the cells that are responsible for PVCs. This is done by a specialist known as an electrophysiologist. The treatment is generally effective in treating PVCs and reducing symptoms, but it does not stop them from returning in the future. In some instances it may increase your risk of having atrial fibrillation (AFib), which can result in a stroke. It is not common, but it could be life-threatening.
Signs and symptoms
Premature ventricular contractions, or PVCs, can cause your heart seem to flutter or skip the beat. These extra heartbeats can be harmless, however you might need to see your doctor when they occur frequently or if you are experiencing symptoms like dizziness, or fatigue.
The electrical signals typically begin in the sinoatrial node, which is in the top right-hand side of the heart. They move down to the lower chambers (or ventricles) which pump blood. The ventricles expand to push blood into your lungs, and then return to the heart to begin the next pumping cycle. But a PVC starts in a different place and is located in the bundle of fibers called the Purkinje fibers, located in the left-hand side of the heart.
When PVCs occur they can make the heart feel as if it's racing or pounding. If you have only a few episodes, but no other symptoms, the doctor will probably not treat you. But if you have a large number of PVCs and you have other symptoms, your doctor might recommend an electrocardiogram, or ECG, to measure your heart rate over the course of 24 hours. He or she might also suggest wearing a Holter Monitor that records the heart's rhythm and count the number of PVCs.
Anyone who has suffered an earlier heart attack or cardiomyopathy, an illness that affects way the heart pumps blood - must take their PVCs seriously and speak to an expert in cardiology about lifestyle modifications. Those include avoiding caffeine, alcohol and smoking, reducing anxiety and stress, and getting enough sleep. A cardiologist might also prescribe medication to slow the heartbeat, such as a beta blocker.
Even if you don't experience any other symptoms however, you should have PVCs checked by an cardiologist if they occur frequently. These heartbeats that are irregular can point to a problem with the structure of your heart or other health conditions and, over time, when they happen frequently enough, they could weaken the heart muscle. Most people with PVCs don't experience any problems. They just want to be aware that the fluttering and racing heartbeats aren't normal.
Diagnosis
PVCs can be felt as fluttering or skipped heartbeats, especially when they're intense or frequent. People who experience them often might feel faint. They can also occur with exercise, though many athletes who experience them do not have any issues with their heart or health. PVCs can be detected in tests like an electrocardiogram (ECG) or Holter monitor. These use sticky patches with sensors on them to record electrical impulses coming from your heart. A cardiologist may also perform an echocardiogram, which uses ultrasound to examine the heart and see how it's functioning.
A doctor will usually be able to determine the presence of PVCs by looking at them and taking a medical history. However, sometimes they will only notice them while examining the patient for different reasons, like following an accident or surgery. Ambulatory ECG monitoring systems also aid in detecting PVCs and other arrhythmias and could be utilized when there is a concern of cardiac disease.
If your cardiologist concludes that your heart is structurally normal, reassurance will be the only remedy required. However, if your symptoms are bothersome or cause you to feel anxious, avoiding alcohol, caffeine, and other decongestants as well as reducing stress levels can aid. Regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight and drinking enough fluids can all aid in reducing the frequency of PVCs. If your symptoms continue or are severe, talk to your doctor about treatments that could help control these symptoms.
Treatment
If PVCs do not cause any symptoms or occur rarely, they usually don't need treatment. If they happen frequently your doctor may be able to look for heart problems or suggest lifestyle changes. You could also have a procedure (called radiofrequency cathode ablation) to get rid them.
If you have PVCs in your heart, the electrical signal which triggers your heartbeat starts somewhere outside of the sinoatrial (SA) node located in the upper right-hand corner of your heart. This could cause your heart to feel like it skips beats or has additional beats. PVCs are more frequent among those with heart problems however, it's not clear the reason behind them. PVCs can increase in frequency as we age and can occur more frequently during exercise.
A physician should perform an ECG and an echocardiogram for a patient who suffers from frequent and painful PVCs to identify structural heart conditions. They may also perform an exercise stress test to see if the extra beats are a result of physical activity. To determine whether there are other reasons for the extra beats the heart catheterization or an MRI could be conducted.
The majority of people who suffer from PVCs do not suffer from any problems and can enjoy a normal lifestyle. However, they can increase your risk of having dangerous heart rhythm issues particularly if you have certain patterns of them. In some cases, that means that the heart muscle becomes weaker and is unable to pump blood throughout your body.
Regular exercise and a balanced diet can lower your risk of developing PVCs. Avoid foods high in sodium and fat, and limit your intake of tobacco and caffeine. You should also try to sleep enough and manage stress. Some medicines may also increase your risk of getting PVCs. If you're taking one of these drugs it is important to follow the doctor's advice regarding eating healthy, exercising and taking your medication.
In studies of patients with PVC burdens that are excessive (more than 20% of total heartbeats) the higher rate of arrhythmia-induced cardiac myopathy was discovered. Some people may need a heart transplant.