How a VC Can Affect Your Heart

PVCs are commonplace and can be experienced by a variety of people with no cause for concern. If they happen frequently, PVCs may weaken your heart and increase your risk for heart failure.

The rhythm of your heart is usually controlled by a bundle of fibers located in the upper right-hand part of your heart. This is called the sinoatrial nerve, or SA. Electrical signals travel from this node to the lower chambers of your heart or ventricles.

Causes

PVCs are caused when the electrical impulse that typically begins your heartbeat at a point known as the sinus node (also called the sinoatrial node or SA node) does not. The impulse actually begins in the ventricles, causing an untimed heartbeat. These extra beats are also known as ventricular tachycardia, and louvred window weatherstripping fireproof window repair [shepherd-baxter.blogbright.net] ventricular fibrillation. It may feel like the heart skipped a beat or feels fluttering. They can happen infrequently, causing no symptoms, but they may also happen frequently enough to impact your quality of life. If they occur frequently or cause weakness, dizziness or fatigue, your doctor might treat them with medicine.

In most people, PVCs are harmless and don't increase your risk of developing heart disease or other health problems. Frequent PVCs, however, can weaken the heart muscle over time. This is especially true if they are caused by a heart condition such as dilated cardiomyopathy or arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy which could lead to symptoms of heart failure.

PVCs can trigger symptoms, such as a sensation of your heart beating an beat, or fluttering. You might also feel breathless. The fluttering can be more evident when you exercise or eat or drink certain drinks or foods. People with chronic anxiety or stress may have more PVCs, and some medications such as amiodarone, digoxin, and cocaine can increase the likelihood of developing them.

If you experience occasional PVCs, your doctor may suggest lifestyle changes and medications. If you experience frequent PVCs, your doctor might recommend that you avoid certain foods and drinks such as caffeine and alcohol. You can also take steps to lessen your stress and get plenty of sleep and exercise.

If you have a lot of PVCs, your doctor may suggest a medical procedure called radiofrequency catheter ablation. It eliminates the cells that are responsible for them. This procedure is performed by a specialist known as an electrophysiologist. It is usually successful in treating the PVCs and reducing symptoms, however, it doesn't prevent them from occurring in the future. In certain cases, it can increase your risk of atrial fibrillation (AFib) which can lead to stroke. This isn't common but it could be life-threatening.

Symptoms

Premature ventricular contractures, or PVCs can cause your heart to skip or be fluttering. These heartbeats can be harmless, however, you should consult your physician in case you experience frequent episodes or other symptoms such as dizziness or weakness.

The normal electrical signals start in the sinoatrial region, which is in the upper right-hand part of the heart. They then move to the lower chambers, or ventricles, that pump blood. Then, the ventricles contract to propel the blood into your lungs and then return to the heart to start the next cycle of pumping. But a PVC begins at a different spot and is located in the bundle of fibers called the Purkinje fibers, in the lower left part of the heart.

When PVCs occur and the heart is affected, it may appear to be racing or pounding. If you have a few episodes and no other symptoms, the cardiologist probably won't treat you. If you have a lot of PVCs tilt and turn window repair your doctor might recommend that you undergo an electrocardiogram (ECG) to monitor your heartbeat over the course of 24 hours. He or she might also suggest wearing a Holter Monitor, which records your heartbeat and tracks the number of PVCs.

People who have had a previous heart attack or suffer from cardiomyopathy -an illness that affects the way that the heart pumps blood should be aware of their PVCs and speak with a cardiologist about changes to their lifestyle. These include avoiding alcohol, caffeine and smoking, reducing stress and anxiety, as well as getting enough rest. A cardiologist can prescribe beta blockers to slow the heartbeat.

Even if there aren't any other signs however, you should have PVCs checked by a cardiologist if they happen frequently. These extra heartbeats may indicate a problem in the structure of your heart or lungs and if they occur often enough, can weaken the heart muscle. The majority of people with PVCs don't experience any issues. They simply want to know that the fluttering or skippy heartbeats aren't typical.

Diagnosis

PVCs can appear to be fluttering or skip heartbeats, especially when they're frequent or intense. People who experience them often may feel faint. Exercise can trigger them, but many athletes who suffer from them do not have heart or health problems. PVCs can be detected in tests like an electrocardiogram (ECG) or Holter monitor. They use sticky patches with sensors that record electrical impulses from your heart. A cardiologist may also use an ultrasound echocardiogram to study the heart.

A doctor will usually be able to determine whether a patient has PVCs by examining them and taking their medical history. However, sometimes they will only notice them while examining the patient for other reasons, such as following an accident or surgery. Ambulatory ECG monitors can detect PVCs and other arrhythmias. They are able to detect cardiac disease when there is a reason to be concerned.

If your cardiologist concludes that your heart is structurally healthy, reassurance could be all that's needed. If your symptoms are troubling or cause you to feel anxious, avoiding caffeine, alcohol and over-the-counter decongestants as well as reducing stress levels can help. Regular exercise and maintaining a healthy weight and installer drinking enough fluids can help reduce the frequency of PVCs. If your symptoms persist or extreme, consult your doctor about medications that may be able to control these symptoms.

Treatment

If PVCs aren't causing symptoms or happen rarely, they usually don't need treatment. If they are frequent your doctor may want to check for heart problems or suggest lifestyle changes. You may also undergo an intervention to get rid of them (called radiofrequency catheter ablation).

If you have PVCs in your heart the electrical signal that causes your heartbeat begins somewhere outside of the sinoatrial (SA) node, which is located in the upper right corner of your heart. This could cause it to feel like your heart skips a beat or has a few extra beats. It's not clear what causes these, but they're more common in people who have other heart problems. PVCs are more likely to occur as you age, and may be more frequent during exercise.

If a patient has frequent and painful PVCs the doctor should perform an ECG and an echocardiogram to rule out structural heart disease. They may also perform an exercise stress test to determine if the extra beats are due to physical activity. A heart catheterization or cardiac MRI or nuclear perfusion studies can be done to look for other causes for the increased beats.

Most people who suffer from PVCs have no complications and live the normal life. They can increase the risk of dangerous heart rhythm disorders particularly if they happen in certain patterns. In some instances, this means the heart muscle gets weaker and has trouble pumping blood through your body.

Regular exercise and a balanced diet will reduce your risk of developing PVCs. Avoid foods high in fat and sodium and limit your intake of tobacco and caffeine. Sleep and stress are equally crucial. Some medicines can also increase the risk of developing PVCs. If you're taking one of these medications it is important to follow the doctor's advice regarding eating healthy, exercising and window Glass Repair taking your medication.

In studies of patients with PVC burdens that are high (more than 20% of heartbeats) the higher rate of arrhythmia-induced cardiac myopathy was discovered. This could lead to a need for a heart transplant in a few people.