How a VC Can Affect Your Heart
PVCs are commonplace and can be experienced by many people without causing any problems. If they occur often, PVCs may weaken your heart and increase your risk of heart failure.
The rhythm of your heart is usually controlled by a group of nerve fibers situated in the upper right-hand corner of your heart. This is known as the sinoatrial nerve, or SA. Electrical signals travel to ventricles or lower chambers of your heart.
Causes
PVCs happen when the electrical impulse that typically begins your heartbeat in a region called the sinus node (also known as the sinoatrial or SA Node) does not. Instead, the impulse starts in a different part of your heart--the ventricles--and causes a wrongly timed beat. These extra beats are known as ventricular tachycardia, and ventricular fibrillation. It may feel like the heart beats faster or feels like it is fluttering. They can happen infrequently, causing no symptoms, but they can also happen frequently enough to impact your quality of living. Your doctor may prescribe medication if they are frequent or cause dizziness, weakness or fatigue.
PVCs are generally harmless and do not increase the risk of heart disease. Regular PVCs however, may weaken your heart muscle over time. This is especially true if the PVCs result from a condition like dilated cardiomyopathy and arrhythmogenic right ventricle cardiomyopathy that could lead to heart failure.
PVCs can cause symptoms, such as a sensation of your heart beating a beat, or fluttering. You may also feel exhausted. The fluttering could be more apparent when you exercise or consume certain drinks or foods. PVCs are more prevalent in people with chronic stress or anxiety. Certain medications, such as digoxin, amiodarone or cocaine, may increase their risk.
If you have occasional PVCs your doctor may suggest lifestyle changes and medications. If you have frequent PVCs, your physician may recommend avoiding certain foods and drinks, like caffeine and alcohol. You can also lower your stress levels by getting enough sleep and working out.
If you have a lot of PVCs, your doctor may suggest a medical procedure known as radiofrequency catheter ablation, which destroys the cells that cause them. Electrophysiologists are the ones who carry out this procedure. It is typically successful in treating the PVCs and reducing symptoms however it does not stop them from recurring in the future. In certain cases, it may increase the risk of developing atrial fibrillation (AFib) which is a condition that can lead to stroke. It is not common, but it could be life-threatening.
Signs and symptoms
Premature ventricular contractions, also known as PVCs, can cause your heart appear to flutter or skip one beat. These heartbeats that are not normal can be harmless, but you may be advised to consult your physician in the event of frequent heartbeats or if you are experiencing symptoms such as dizziness or fatigue.
The electrical signals normally begin in the sinoatrial region, which is in the upper right corner of the heart. They then travel to the lower chambers, also known as ventricles, which pump blood. The ventricles expand to pump blood into the lungs. They then return to the center to begin the next cycle of pumping. However, a PVC starts in a different location and is located in the bundle of fibers called the Purkinje fibers, located in the lower left part of the heart.
When PVCs occur, they can make the heart pound or feel as if it skipped a beat. If you only have just a few episodes and there are no other symptoms, your cardiologist will probably not be able to treat you. If you've got a lot of PVCs, the doctor may recommend an electrocardiogram, or ECG to determine the heart's rate over the course of 24 hours. He or she might also recommend wearing a Holter Monitor, which records the heart's rhythm and count the number of PVCs.
People who have suffered a previous heart attack or cardiomyopathy, an illness that affects method by which the heart pumps blood - should take their PVCs seriously and consult a cardiologist regarding lifestyle modifications. This includes cutting down on caffeine, alcohol and smoking, managing stress and anxiety, as well as getting enough rest. A cardiologist may prescribe medications to slow the heartbeat, such as a beta blocker.
If you experience frequent PVCs even if you do not have any other symptoms you should see a cardiologist. These extra heartbeats may be a sign of a problem with the structure of your lungs or heart, and if they occur frequently enough, it could weaken your heart muscle. Most people with PVCs do not have any issues. They just want to be aware that the fluttering and racing heartbeats aren't normal.
Diagnosis
PVCs might be felt as fluttering or skipped heartbeats, especially when they're intense or frequent. People who experience them regularly may feel faint. Exercise can trigger them, but most athletes who experience them do not have heart or health problems. window doctors repairmywindowsanddoors.co.uk could show up in tests such as an electrocardiogram (ECG) or Holter monitor. They have sensors that record electrical impulses from your heart. A cardiologist may also perform an echocardiogram, which uses ultrasound to study the heart and determine how it's functioning.
A doctor can often tell if a patient has PVCs by examining them and taking their medical history. Sometimes, however, they may only be able to detect PVCs when they examine a patient for another reason such as following an accident or surgical procedure. Ambulatory ECG monitors can detect PVCs, as well as other arrhythmias. They can be used to detect heart disease if there is any reason to be concerned.
If your cardiologist finds that your heart is structurally normal, reassurance is the only treatment required. However, if your symptoms are causing discomfort or make you feel anxious, avoiding alcohol, caffeine, and other decongestants and reducing stress can help. Regular exercise and maintaining a healthy weight and drinking enough fluids can aid in reducing the frequency of PVCs. If your symptoms persist or are severe, talk to your doctor about medication options to treat them.
Treatment
If PVCs don't cause symptoms or occur rarely generally, they don't require treatment. If you are frequently affected or frequently, your doctor may wish to examine for other heart issues and recommend lifestyle changes or medicine. You could also have a procedure (called radiofrequency cathode ablation) to eliminate them.
If you have PVCs in your heart, the electrical signal which causes your heartbeat begins somewhere different than the sinoatrial (SA) node that is located in the upper right-hand corner of your heart. This can cause your heart to feel as if it skips beats or has extra beats. It's not known what causes them, but they're more common in people who have other heart issues. PVCs may increase in frequency as we age and can occur more often during exercising.
A doctor should perform an ECG and an echocardiogram on a patient who suffers from frequent and painful PVCs to rule out structural heart diseases. The doctor may also perform an exercise stress test to determine if the increased heartbeats are due to physical activity. A heart catheterization or cardiac MRI or nuclear perfusion study could be performed to find other reasons for the increased beats.
Most people who suffer from PVCs do not experience any complications and can lead a normal lifestyle. They may increase the risk of heart rhythm disorders that can be dangerous particularly if they happen in certain patterns. In some cases, that means the heart muscle gets weaker and is having difficulty pumping blood throughout your body.
Regular exercise and a healthy diet can lower the risk of developing PVCs. Avoid foods high in fat and sodium, and limit your intake of tobacco and caffeine. Also, you should try to sleep enough and manage stress. Certain medicines can also increase the risk of developing PVCs. So if you take one of these drugs, it's important to follow your doctor's recommendations about a healthy diet, exercise and taking your medication.
Studies of patients with a high burden of PVCs (that's more than 20% of their total heart beats) found that they had a higher incidence of arrhythmia-induced cardiomyopathy. This can result in a need for a heart transplant in a few individuals.