How a VC Can Affect Your Heart

Many people experience occasional PVCs without any problems. But if they occur frequently, PVCs can weaken your heart muscle and increase the risk of heart failure.

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

Causes

PVCs are caused when the electrical impulse that usually starts your heartbeat at a point called the sinus node (also known as the sinoatrial or SA Node) doesn't. The impulse actually begins in the ventricles, causing a mistimed heartbeat. These extra beats are also known as ventricular tachycardia, and ventricular fibrillation. It could feel as if the heart beats faster or feels fluttering. They can occur infrequently and have no symptoms or they can occur frequently enough to interfere with your daily life. If they occur frequently or cause weakness, dizziness or fatigue, your glass doctor near me could treat them with medicine.

PVCs are generally harmless and do not increase the risk of heart disease. A lot of PVCs however, could weaken your heart muscle over time. This is particularly when the PVCs are caused by conditions like dilated cardiomyopathy and arrhythmogenic right-ventricular cardiomyopathy, which could lead to heart failure.

The signs of PVCs include feeling like your heart beats slower or it flutters. You may feel breathless. The fluttering may be more noticeable when you exercise, or consume certain beverages or foods. People who suffer from chronic anxiety or stress can have more PVCs, and some medications such as amiodarone, digoxin, and cocaine can increase the risk of developing them.

If you experience occasional PVCs your doctor may suggest lifestyle changes and medication. If they are a regular occurrence, you may have to avoid some foods and beverages like alcohol and caffeine. You can also reduce your stress, and take advantage of plenty of rest and exercise.

If you're experiencing a lot of PVCs the doctor might recommend a medical treatment known as radiofrequency catheter ablation, which eliminates the cells that cause PVCs. This is done by a specialist known as an electrophysiologist. The treatment is usually successful in treating PVCs which reduce symptoms, but it does not stop them from returning in the future. In some instances it can increase your risk of atrial fibrillation (AFib) which can lead to a stroke. It is not common, but it can be life-threatening.

Symptoms

Premature ventricular contractures PVCs, also known as PVCs, can cause your heart to skip or to flutter. These heartbeats can be harmless, but you should consult your physician when you experience frequent episodes or other symptoms such as dizziness or weakness.

Normally, electrical signals begin at the sinoatrial junction, located in the top right portion of the heart, and travel down to the lower chambers (or ventricles) which pump blood. The ventricles contract to push the blood into the lungs. They return to the heart's center to begin the next cycle of pumping. A pvc Doctor begins in a different location, the Purkinje fibres bundle in the left-hand side of the heart.

When PVCs occur, they cause the heart beat or feel as if it skipped the beat. If you experience only a few episodes, and there are no other symptoms your cardiologist may not be able to treat you. If you have a lot of PVCs and your doctor might recommend that you undergo an electrocardiogram (ECG) to determine the heartbeat for a period of 24 hours. He or she might also suggest wearing a Holter Monitor that records your heartbeat and tracks the number of PVCs.

People who have suffered previously from a heart attack or cardiomyopathy, a condition which affects the way the heart pumps blood - must take their PVCs seriously and consult an expert in cardiology about lifestyle modifications. Those include avoiding caffeine, alcohol and smoking, managing anxiety and stress, and getting enough rest. A cardiologist can prescribe medications to slow the heartbeat, like a beta blocker.

Even if you don't have any other symptoms it is still recommended to have PVCs examined by an expert in cardiology if they occur frequently. These irregular heartbeats could indicate an issue with the structure of your heart or other health conditions and, over time when they happen frequently enough, they can weaken the heart muscle. Most people with PVCs don't experience any issues. They are interested in knowing if the fluttering heartbeats or skipping heartbeats is normal.

Diagnosis

PVCs might be felt as fluttering or skipped heartbeats, especially when they're intense or frequent. Patients who have a lot of them might feel like they're about to faint. Exercise can trigger them, but many athletes who suffer from these symptoms do not have heart or health issues. PVCs may show up in tests like an electrocardiogram or Holter monitor. These patches have sensors that record electrical impulses from your heart. A cardiologist could also employ an echocardiogram, which uses ultrasound to look at the heart and see how it's working.

A doctor is often able to tell if a patient has PVCs by examining them and taking their medical history. Sometimes, however, they may not be aware of PVCs until they examine a patient for another reason, like following an accident or surgical procedure. Ambulatory ECG monitoring systems can help detect PVCs and other arrhythmias, and could be utilized when there is a concern of cardiac disease.

If your cardiologist determines that your heart's structure is normal, reassurance will be the only treatment needed. If your symptoms are causing you discomfort, or cause you to feel anxious, avoiding alcohol, caffeine, and over the drug decongestants and the reduction of stress could aid. Regular exercise, being at a healthy weight and drinking enough water can also reduce your episodes of PVCs. If your symptoms persist or are extreme, talk to your doctor about possible medications that can control the symptoms.

Treatment

If PVCs are rare or don't cause symptoms, they rarely need treatment. If you are frequently affected, your doctor may want to examine for any other heart problems and recommend lifestyle changes or medicine. You might also get an intervention to get rid of them (called radiofrequency catheter ablation).

If you suffer from PVCs the electrical signal that causes your heartbeat starts somewhere different than the sinoatrial nerve (SA node) in the top right side of your heart. This can make it feel like your heart skips beats or has a few extra beats. They're more common among people suffering from heart disease however, it's not clear what causes them. PVCs can increase in frequency as you age, and may occur more frequently during exercising.

A physician should perform an ECG and an echocardiogram for a patient who has frequent and painful PVCs to identify structural heart conditions. They will probably also do an exercise stress test to see if the extra beats are a result of physical exercise. To find out whether there are other reasons for the extra beatings, a heart catheterization or a cardiac MRI is possible.

The majority of people who suffer from PVCs do not have any issues and live a normal life. They can increase the risk of dangerous heart rhythm disorders, especially if they occur in certain patterns. In some cases this means that the heart muscle becomes weaker and has difficulty pumping blood throughout your body.

A regular, healthy diet and regular exercise can help reduce your risk of developing PVCs. Avoid foods high in fat and sodium and limit your intake of tobacco and caffeine. You should also try to get enough sleep and reduce stress. Certain medicines can also increase the risk of developing PVCs. If you're taking one of these medicines, it's important to follow the doctor's advice about eating well, exercising and taking your medication.

Studies of patients with a high amount 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 lead to a need for a heart transplant in a few patients.