How a VC Can Affect Your Heart

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

A bundle of fibers located in the upper right part of your heart (the sinoatrial, or SA, node) usually controls the heart's rhythm. Electrical signals travel from there to the lower heart chambers, or ventricles.

Causes

PVCs are caused by the electrical impulse that normally triggers your heartbeat at the Sinus Node (also known as the Sinoatrial or SA node) is not initiated. Instead, the impulse is generated in another area of your heart, the ventricles, and causes a wrongly timed beat. These extra beats are also known as ventricular tachycardia, and ventricular fibrillation. It may feel like the heart beats faster or feels fluttering. They may occur infrequently and not cause any symptoms, but they can occur frequently enough to affect your quality of living. Your doctor might prescribe medication in the event that they are frequent or cause dizziness, weakness or fatigue.

For the majority of people, PVCs are harmless and do not increase the risk of heart disease or other health problems. Over time, frequent PVCs can weaken the heart muscle. This is especially true if they are caused by a heart-related condition such as dilated cardiomyopathy arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, which can lead to symptomatic heart failure.

The signs of PVCs include feeling like your heart skips a beat or flutters, and you may feel breathless. The fluttering could be more apparent when you exercise or have certain drinks or food items. PVCs are more common in people with chronic anxiety or stress. Some drugs, like digoxin, amiodarone or cocaine, can also increase their risk.

If you experience occasional PVCs your doctor may suggest lifestyle changes and medications. If they're a frequent occurrence, you may have to avoid certain drinks and foods like caffeine and alcohol. You can also lower your stress levels by having enough sleep tilt and turn window repair exercising.

If you're suffering from lots of PVCs The doctor may suggest a medical treatment called radiofrequency catheter ablation, which destroys cells that cause PVCs. Electrophysiologists are the ones who carry out this procedure. The treatment is usually successful in treating PVCs which reduce symptoms, but it does not stop them from becoming recurring in the future. In some cases it may increase your risk of having atrial fibrillation (AFib), which can cause stroke. This isn't common however it could be life-threatening.

Symptoms

Premature ventricular contractions, also known as PVCs, can make your heart appear to skip or flutter the beat. These extra heartbeats are usually harmless, however, you should consult your physician if you have frequent episodes or other symptoms such as dizziness or weakness.

The electrical signals normally begin in the sinoatrial area, which is located in the upper right part of the heart. They then move to the lower chambers, or Fitter ventricles, where blood pumps are located. Then, the ventricles contract to propel blood into your lungs, and then return to your heart to start the next cycle of pumping. A PVC begins in a different location, the Purkinje fibres bundle at the left side of the heart.

When PVCs occur, they make the heart beat or feel like it skipped a beat. If you only have just a few episodes and no other symptoms are present, your cardiologist will probably not treat you. If you have a lot of PVCs, your doctor may recommend that you undergo an electrocardiogram (ECG) to determine the heartbeat over the course of 24 hours. He or she may also suggest wearing a Holter monitor that will track your heart rhythm over time, allowing you to see how many PVCs you have.

People who have had a previous heart attack or have cardiomyopathy -- a condition that affects the way that the heart pumps blood should be aware of their PVCs and consult a cardiologist about changes to their lifestyle. Those include the avoidance of alcohol, caffeine, and smoking, reducing anxiety and Window Sill Repair stress and ensuring adequate sleep. A cardiologist may prescribe medications to slow heartbeat, for example, a beta blocker.

Even if you don't experience any other indications it is still recommended to have PVCs checked by an expert in cardiology if they occur frequently. These irregular heartbeats could point to a problem with the structure of your heart or other health conditions and, over time, when they happen frequently enough, they may weaken the heart muscle. But the majority of people with PVCs don't experience any problems. They would like to know if irregular heartbeats or fluttering is normal.

Diagnosis

PVCs may feel like heartbeats that are fluttering, particularly if they're frequent and intense. Patients who have a lot of them may feel they're going to faint. They can also happen with exercise, though many athletes who experience them don't have issues with their heart or health. PVCs can be detected in tests like an electrocardiogram or a Holter monitor. These use sticky patches with sensors on them to record electrical impulses from your heart. A cardiologist could also employ an ultrasound echocardiogram to study the heart.

A doctor may be able to identify if a person has PVCs through a medical history and physical examination. Sometimes it is possible that they only notice PVCs when examining a patient for another reason, such as after an accident or surgical procedure. Ambulatory ECG monitors can detect PVCs as well as other arrhythmias. They may be used to detect heart disease when there is a concerns.

If your cardiologist determines your heart is structurally healthy, reassurance could be all that's needed. If your symptoms are bothersome or make you be anxious, avoiding alcohol, caffeine and other over the drug decongestants and the reduction of stress could aid. Engaging in regular exercise, keeping at a healthy weight, and drinking enough fluids can reduce your episodes of PVCs. If the symptoms persist or are severe, speak to your doctor about medications that can control these symptoms.

Treatment

If PVCs do not cause any symptoms or happen rarely they aren't usually in need of treatment. If they occur frequently, your doctor might be able to look for heart issues or suggest lifestyle adjustments. You could also have a procedure (called radiofrequency cathode ablation) to get rid them.

If you suffer from PVCs in your heart, the electrical signal which triggers your heartbeat starts somewhere other than at the sinoatrial (SA) node that is located in the upper right corner of your heart. This can cause your heart to feel as if it skips a beating or has extra beats. It's not clear what causes these, but they're more common in people with other heart conditions. PVCs may increase in frequency as you age, and could be more frequent during exercise.

If a patient has frequent and painful PVCs doctors should perform an ECG and an echocardiogram to rule out heart disease that is structural. They will probably also do an exercise stress test to determine if the extra beats are a result of physical exercise. A heart catheterization, cardiac MRI or nuclear perfusion study can be done to look for other causes for the increased beats.

The majority of people with PVCs do not have any issues and can lead an ordinary life. However, they may increase the risk of developing dangerous heart rhythm issues particularly if you have certain patterns of them. In some instances, this means that the heart muscle becomes weaker and it is more difficult to pump blood throughout the body.

Regular exercise and a balanced diet can reduce your chances of developing PVCs. Avoid foods that are high in fat and sodium as well as restrict 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 are taking one of these medicines, Picture Window Repair it's important to follow your doctor's recommendations about a healthy diet, exercise and taking your medication.

Studies of patients who had a high burden of PVCs (that's more than 20% of their total heart beats) found that they had a higher risk of arrhythmia-induced cardiomyopathy. Some patients may require a heart transplant.