How a VC Can Affect Your Heart

PVCs are common and can be experienced by many people with no cause for concern. If they are frequent, PVCs may weaken your heart and increase the risk for heart failure.

The heart's rhythm is usually controlled by a group of fibers that are located in the upper right corner of your heart. This is known as the sinoatrial node or SA. Electrical signals are transmitted to the ventricles, or lower chambers of the heart.

Causes

PVCs happen when the electrical impulse that normally initiates your heartbeat in a part known as the sinus node (also called the sinoatrial or SA Node) isn't. Instead, the impulse begins in a different part of your heart called the ventricles and triggers a wrongly timed beat. These extra beats are also called ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation. It could feel as if the heart beats faster or feels fluttering. They may occur infrequently and not cause any symptoms, but they may be frequent enough to affect your quality of life. If they happen frequently or cause weakness, dizziness, or fatigue, your doctor may treat them with medicine.

In most people, PVCs are harmless and aren't likely to increase your risk of developing heart disease or other health problems. Regular PVCs however, may weaken the heart muscle over time. This is particularly true if the PVCs result from conditions like dilated cardiomyopathy and arrhythmogenic right ventricle cardiomyopathy that can lead to heart failure.

The symptoms of PVCs include a feeling that your heart beats slower or flutters, and you may feel breathless. The fluttering can be more apparent when you exercise or have certain drinks or foods. People with chronic anxiety or stress can have more PVCs, and some medications such as amiodarone, digoxin and cocaine can increase the likelihood of developing them.

If you have occasional PVCs your doctor may recommend lifestyle changes and medication. If they are a frequent occurrence, you may need to avoid certain foods and beverages, such as caffeine and alcohol. You can also reduce your stress and get plenty of sleep and exercise.

If you have a lot of PVCs Your doctor might suggest a medical procedure known as radiofrequency catheter ablation. It destroys the cells that cause them. Electrophysiologists are the ones who perform this procedure. The treatment is usually effective in treating PVCs, reducing symptoms but it does not stop them from returning in the future. In certain instances, it can increase the risk of having atrial fibrillation (AFib) which is a condition that can result in stroke. This isn't common however it could be life-threatening.

Symptoms

Premature ventricular contractions, or PVCs, may make your heart seem to skip or flutter one beat. These heartbeats that are not normal can be harmless, but you may want to consult your doctor if they are frequent or if you are experiencing symptoms like dizziness, or fatigue.

Normaly, electrical signals begin in the sinoatrial, located in the upper right-hand corner of the heart. They then travel to the lower chambers, or ventricles, that pump blood. The ventricles then expand to push blood into your lungs, and then return to your heart and start the next pumping cycle. But a PVC begins in a different place and is located in the bundle of fibers, known as the Purkinje fibers, located in the lower left part of the heart.

When PVCs happen they can make the heart feel like it is racing or pounding. If you have only a few episodes, Energy-Efficient window Repair and there are no other symptoms the cardiologist will likely not prescribe treatment. If you've got a lot of PVCs the doctor may suggest an electrocardiogram, or ECG to gauge your heart rate over a 24-hour period. They might also recommend wearing a Holter monitor, which will record your heart rhythm over time to see the number of PVCs you have.

If you've had an earlier heart attack or have suffered from cardiomyopathy - an illness that affects heart's blood flow - should take their PVCs seriously and speak to an expert in cardiology about lifestyle modifications. This includes abstaining from caffeine, alcohol, and smoking, reducing stress and anxiety, as well as getting enough rest. A cardiologist might prescribe medication to slow the heartbeat, like a beta blocker.

Even if there aren't any other symptoms however, you should have PVCs checked by an cardiologist if they occur frequently. These heartbeats that are irregular could signal a problem with the structure of your heart or Window security film lungs and if they occur frequently enough, it could weaken your heart muscle. However, most people suffering from PVCs do not experience any issues. They are interested in knowing if the irregular heartbeats or fluttering is normal.

Diagnosis

PVCs can feel like heartbeats that are fluttering especially if they are frequent and intense. People who experience them frequently may feel faint. They can also occur with exercising, but most athletes who get them don't have any problems in their heart or health. PVCs can show up in tests like an electrocardiogram, or window Security Film Holter monitor. They have sensors that record electrical impulses from your heart. A cardiologist could also employ an ultrasound echocardiogram to study the heart.

Most of the time, a doctor will be able to tell whether someone has PVCs from a history and physical exam. Sometimes, they may only be able to detect them when they examine the patient for other reasons, for instance after an accident or surgery. Ambulatory ECG monitoring systems can also help detect PVCs and other arrhythmias, and they might be used if there's any concern of cardiac disease.

If your cardiologist determines your heart is structurally healthy, reassurance might be all you need. If your symptoms are causing discomfort or cause you to feel anxious, staying away from alcohol, caffeine and other decongestants as well as reducing stress levels can help. Regular exercise and maintaining a healthy weight, and drinking enough fluids can all aid in reducing the frequency of PVCs. If your symptoms persist or extreme, consult your physician about the medications that could help reduce these symptoms.

Treatment

If PVCs aren't common or don't cause symptoms, they rarely require treatment. If you experience them frequently and frequently, your doctor might want to look for any other heart problems and suggest lifestyle changes or medications. You could also have an operation (called radiofrequency cathode ablation) to eliminate them.

If you suffer from PVCs in your heart, the electrical signal which creates your heartbeat is located other than at the sinoatrial (SA) node that is located in the upper right-hand corner of your heart. This could cause your heart to feel as if it skips a beating or has extra beats. They're more common among people with heart problems however, it's not clear the reason behind them. PVCs may increase in frequency as you age, and they could be more frequent during exercises.

A physician should perform an ECG and an echocardiogram for a patient who has frequent and painful PVCs to determine if there are structural heart problems. The doctor will also likely conduct an exercise stress test in order to determine if the additional heartbeats are caused by physical exercise. To determine if there are other causes for the increased beats an invasive heart catheterization or a cardiac MRI could be conducted.

The majority of people with PVCs have no complications and live a normal life. They could increase the risk of heart rhythm disorders that can be dangerous, especially if they occur in certain patterns. In some cases this means that the heart muscle becomes weaker and has difficulty pumping blood throughout the body.

A healthy and balanced diet and regular exercise can reduce your chances of developing PVCs. You should avoid foods that are high in sodium and fat as well as restrict your intake of tobacco and caffeine. Also, you should try to get enough rest and reduce stress. Certain medicines can also increase the risk of developing PVCs. If you take any of these medicines, it is important that you follow your doctor's advice about eating healthy exercising, as well as taking your medication.

In studies of patients with PVC burdens that are excessive (more than 20% of the total heartbeats) there was a higher incidence of arrhythmia-induced myopathy in the heart was observed. This can result in the need for a heart transplant in some individuals.