How a VC Can Affect Your Heart
PVCs are common and may be experienced by a wide range of people without causing any problems. If they occur often, PVCs may weaken your heart and increase the risk of heart failure.
The rhythm of your heart is usually controlled by a group of nerve fibers situated in the upper right part of your heart. This is known as the sinoatrial node or SA. Electrical signals travel from this node to the lower heart chambers or ventricles.
Causes
PVCs happen by the electrical impulse that normally starts your heartbeat at the Sinus Node (also called the Sinoatrial or the SA node) does not. Instead, the impulse is generated in another area of your heart--the ventricles--and causes a mistimed beat. These extra beats are known as ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation. It may feel like the heart beats faster or feels fluttering. They can occur rarely without causing any symptoms, but they could also happen frequently enough to affect your quality of life. If they happen frequently or cause dizziness, weakness or fatigue, your doctor might treat them with medication.
PVCs are generally harmless and do not increase the risk of heart disease. Regular PVCs however, may weaken the heart muscle over time. This is especially when the PVCs are caused by an illness like dilated Cardiomyopathy and arrhythmogenic right ventricle cardiomyopathy that could lead to heart failure.
PVCs can trigger symptoms like a feeling of your heart skipping an beat, or fluttering. It is also possible to feel exhausted. The fluttering could be more evident when you exercise or eat or drink certain foods or beverages. PVCs are more prevalent in those suffering from chronic stress or anxiety. Some medications, such as digoxin, amiodarone, and cocaine, may increase the risk.
If you are experiencing occasional PVCs, your doctor may recommend lifestyle changes and medicines. If they are a regular occurrence, you may need to avoid some foods and beverages like alcohol and caffeine. You can also reduce your stress by getting enough sleep and working out.
If you've got a lot of PVCs, your doctor may recommend a medical procedure referred to as radiofrequency catheter ablation. It eliminates the cells responsible for them. Electrophysiologists are the ones who perform this procedure. The treatment is generally successful in treating PVCs which reduce symptoms, but it does not stop them from recurring in the future. In some cases it can increase the risk of atrial fibrillation (AFib), a condition that can lead to stroke. It is not common, but it could be life-threatening.
Symptoms
Premature ventricular contractions, or PVCs can cause your heart to skip or to flutter. These heartbeats can be harmless, however, you should talk to your doctor in case you experience frequent episodes or other symptoms such as dizziness or weakness.
The electrical signals typically begin at the sinoatrial junction, located in the upper right-hand side of the heart, and descend to the lower chambers (or ventricles) which pump blood. The ventricles contract to push the blood into the lung. They return to the heart's center to start the next cycle of pumping. A PVC begins in a different location that is the Purkinje fibres bundle in the bottom left of the heart.
When PVCs happen, the heart may feel as if it's racing or pounding. If you experience a few episodes and no other symptoms, the doctor will probably not treat you. However, if you have large number of PVCs and you have other symptoms, your doctor might recommend an electrocardiogram, also known as an ECG to gauge your heart rate over 24 hours. He or she may also suggest wearing a Holter monitor that records your heartbeat over time, allowing you to see how many PVCs you have.
Anyone who has suffered previously from a heart attack or have suffered from cardiomyopathy - an illness that affects heart's blood flow - should take their PVCs very seriously and speak to a cardiologist about lifestyle modifications. This includes avoiding caffeine, alcohol and smoking, reducing stress and anxiety and ensuring adequate sleep. A cardiologist might also prescribe medication to slow heartbeat, for example, a beta blocker.
If you experience frequent PVCs, even if you do not have any other signs, you should see an expert in cardiology. These extra heartbeats may signal a problem with the structure of your heart or lungs, and if they occur often enough, it could weaken your heart muscle. But the majority of people with PVCs don't have any issues. They simply want to be aware that the fluttering or racing heartbeats aren't normal.
Diagnosis
PVCs might appear to be fluttering or skip heartbeats, especially if they're frequent or intense. People who get lots of them may feel they're going to faint. Exercise can cause PVCs, but a lot of athletes who suffer from these symptoms do not have heart or health issues. PVCs could show up in tests such as an electrocardiogram (ECG) or Holter monitor. These patches have sensors that record electrical impulses from your heart. A cardiologist could also employ an echocardiogram that uses ultrasound to look at the heart and see how it's functioning.
Most of the time, a doctor will be able to tell whether someone has PVCs from a history and physical examination. Sometimes, window doctors may only be able to detect them when they examine the patient for other reasons, for instance after a surgery or accident. Ambulatory ECG monitors can detect PVCs, as well as other arrhythmias. They can be used to detect cardiac disease if there is any concerns.
If your cardiologist determines that your heart's structure is normal, reassurance will be the only treatment needed. However, if your symptoms are troubling or cause you to feel anxious, staying away from caffeine, alcohol and over-the-counter decongestants and reducing stress may aid. Regular exercise, being at a healthy weight, and drinking enough water can also decrease the likelihood of PVCs. If you are experiencing symptoms that are persistent or severe, talk to your doctor about medications that could be able to reduce the symptoms.
Treatment
If PVCs aren't causing symptoms or happen rarely, they usually don't need treatment. If you have them often and frequently, your doctor might want to check for other heart conditions and suggest lifestyle changes or medications. You could also undergo a procedure (called radiofrequency cathode ablation) to get rid them.
If you have PVCs in your heart, the electrical signal which creates your heartbeat is located outside of 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 known what causes these symptoms, but they're common in people with other heart conditions. PVCs are more frequent as you age, and may occur more often during exercises.
If a patient is experiencing frequent and painful PVCs doctors is required to perform an ECG and an echocardiogram to determine if there is a structural heart problem. They may also perform an exercise stress test to determine if the extra beats are a result of physical exercise. To determine if there are other causes for the increased beats the heart catheterization or a cardiac MRI is possible.
The majority of people with PVCs have no complications and can lead the normal life. But they can increase your risk of having dangerous heart rhythm problems, especially if you have certain patterns of them. In some cases this means that the heart muscle becomes weaker and is unable to pump blood throughout the body.
A regular, healthy diet and a lot of exercise can help reduce your chances of developing PVCs. You should avoid foods that are high in fat and sodium, and you should also restrict your intake of tobacco and caffeine. Sleep and stress are equally crucial. Certain medicines can also increase the risk of getting PVCs. So if you take one of these drugs it is 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 percent of their total heart beats) discovered that they had a higher risk of arrhythmia-induced cardiomyopathy. This can result in a need for a heart transplant in some patients.