How a VC Can Affect Your Heart
Many people experience occasional PVCs without any problems. If they are frequent, PVCs may weaken your heart and increase your risk for heart failure.
A bundle of fibers in the top right portion of your heart (the sinoatrial, or SA, node) typically regulates your heart rhythm. Electrical signals are transmitted from there to the lower heart chambers or ventricles.
Causes
PVCs happen when the electrical impulse which normally triggers your heartbeat at the Sinus Node (also known as the Sinoatrial or the SA node) does not. Instead, the impulse starts in another area of your heart, the ventricles, and causes an untimed beat. These extra beats are known as ventricular tachycardia, and ventricular fibrillation. They may feel like the heart skipped a beating or feels fluttering. They may occur infrequently and not cause any symptoms, but they can be frequent enough to affect your standard of living. If they are very frequent or cause dizziness, weakness or fatigue, your doctor may treat them with medication.
For the majority of people, PVCs are harmless and don't increase your risk of developing heart disease or other health issues. In time, frequent PVCs can weaken the heart muscle. This is especially when the PVCs are triggered by an illness like dilated Cardiomyopathy and arrhythmogenic right ventricle cardiomyopathy that can cause heart failure.
The symptoms of PVCs include a feeling that your heart beats slower or it flutters. You may feel breathless. The fluttering may be more evident when you exercise or consume certain foods or drinks. PVCs are more prevalent in people with chronic anxiety or stress. Certain medications, such as digoxin, amiodarone or cocaine, may increase the risk.
If you experience occasional PVCs Your doctor may suggest lifestyle changes and medication. If you have frequent PVCs, your doctor might suggest that you stay away from certain drinks and foods, such as caffeine and alcohol. You can also reduce your stress and get plenty of sleep and exercise.
If you're suffering from a lot of PVCs the doctor might suggest a medical procedure called radiofrequency catheter ablation, which destroys cells that cause PVCs. Electrophysiologists are the ones who carry out this procedure. It is usually effective in treating PVCs and reducing symptoms but it doesn't stop them from recurring in the future. In some cases it can increase the risk of atrial fibrillation (AFib), an illness that can cause stroke. This isn't common, but it can be life-threatening.
Signs and symptoms
Premature ventricular contractures, or PVCs can cause your heart to skip or to flutter. These extra heartbeats are usually harmless, but it is important to talk to your doctor in case you experience frequent episodes or symptoms like dizziness or weakness.
Normaly, electrical signals begin 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, that pump blood. Then, the ventricles expand to push blood into your lungs and then return to the heart to start the next cycle of pumping. However, a PVC begins in a different place, from the bundle of fibers, known as the Purkinje fibers in the bottom left portion of the heart.
When PVCs occur, they can make the heart pound or feel as if it skipped one beat. If you've experienced only a few episodes, but no other symptoms, your doctor probably won't be able to treat you. However, if the window doctor repairmywindowsanddoors.co.uk have lot of PVCs and you have other symptoms, your doctor might recommend an electrocardiogram, or ECG to gauge your heartbeat over 24 hours. The doctor may also recommend wearing a Holter monitor that records the heart's rhythm over time, allowing you to see the number of PVCs you have.
People who have had a previous heart attack or have cardiomyopathy -an illness that alters the way the heart pumps blood - should be aware of their PVCs and talk to an expert in cardiology about lifestyle changes. Those include avoiding caffeine, alcohol and smoking, reducing anxiety and stress and ensuring adequate sleep. A cardiologist might prescribe medications to slow heartbeat, like beta blockers.
If you have frequent PVCs even if do not have other symptoms you should see a cardiologist. These heartbeats that are irregular could be a sign of a problem with the structure of your lungs or heart, and if they occur often enough, it could weaken your heart muscle. But the majority of people suffering from PVCs don't have any issues. They would like to know if fluttering heartbeats or skipping heartbeats is normal.
Diagnosis
PVCs can be felt as fluttering or skipped heartbeats, particularly when they're intense or frequent. Patients who have a lot of them may feel they're about to faint. Exercise can cause PVCs, but a lot of athletes who suffer from them have no heart or health problems. PVCs may show up on tests such as 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 to examine the heart.
Most of the time, a doctor will be able to identify if the patient has PVCs from a history and physical examination. Sometimes it is possible that they only notice PVCs when examining patients for a different reason, such as after an accident or surgery. Ambulatory ECG monitoring systems also aid in detecting PVCs and other arrhythmias and can be used if there's any concern of heart disease.
If your cardiologist concludes that your heart is structurally healthy, reassurance may be all that's needed. If your symptoms are causing you discomfort, or cause you to be anxious, avoiding alcohol, caffeine and over-the counter decongestants, and decreasing stress can aid. Regular exercise, being at a healthy weight, and drinking enough fluids can decrease the likelihood of PVCs. If you are experiencing symptoms that are persistent or severe, talk to your doctor about medication that could be able to manage these symptoms.
Treatment
If PVCs are rare or don't cause symptoms, they rarely need treatment. If they happen frequently, your doctor might need to examine for heart conditions or recommend lifestyle modifications. You could also undergo an operation (called radiofrequency cathode ablation) to get rid of them.
If you have PVCs in your heart, the electrical signal which triggers your heartbeat starts somewhere different than the sinoatrial (SA) node that is located in the upper right-hand corner of your heart. This could cause your heart to feel like it skips a beating or has additional beats. It's not known what causes these symptoms, but they're common in people who have other heart conditions. PVCs can become more frequent as you age, and they might occur more frequently during exercise.
A doctor should perform an ECG as well as an echocardiogram on a patient that has frequent and painful PVCs to determine if there are structural heart problems. They will probably also do an exercise stress test to determine if the extra beats are caused by physical activity. A heart catheterization, cardiac MRI or nuclear perfusion study can be performed to find other causes of the extra beats.
The majority of people who suffer from PVCs do not experience any issues and can live a normal lifestyle. They can increase the risk of developing dangerous heart rhythm disorders, especially if they occur in certain patterns. In some cases this means that the heart muscle gets weaker and has difficulty pumping blood throughout your body.
A healthy and balanced diet and a lot of exercise can reduce your risk of developing PVCs. Avoid foods that are high in sodium and fat, and limit your consumption of tobacco and caffeine. You should also try to get enough rest and manage stress. Certain medications can increase the risk of developing PVCs. If you are taking one of these medications it is important to follow your doctor's recommendations about eating well, exercising and taking your medication.
Studies of patients who had a high amount of PVCs (that's more than 20% of their total heart beats) found that they had a higher rate of arrhythmia-induced cardiomyopathy. This can lead to a need for a heart transplant in certain patients.