10 Healthy Habits To Use Pvc Doctor How a VC Can Affect Your Heart

PVCs are common and may be experienced by a wide range of people without causing any problems. However, if they happen frequently, PVCs can weaken your heart muscle and increase your risk of heart failure.

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

Causes

PVCs are caused when the electrical impulse that typically initiates your heartbeat in a part known as the sinus node (also known as the sinoatrial node or SA node) doesn't. Instead, the impulse begins in a different part of your heart--the ventricles--and causes an untimed beat. These extra beats, called ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation, may feel like your heart skipped a beat, or it feels like it is like it is fluttering. They can occur infrequently and cause no symptoms, or they can happen often enough to impact your quality of life. Your doctor may prescribe medication when they occur frequently or cause weakness, dizziness or fatigue.

PVCs are generally harmless and do not increase your risk of developing heart disease. A lot of PVCs, however, can weaken the heart muscle over time. This is especially true if they are caused by a heart disease like dilated cardiomyopathy, or arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy which may lead to symptomatic heart failure.

The symptoms of PVCs include a feeling that your heart beats faster or flutters, and you may feel exhausted. The fluttering may be more noticeable if you exercise, or consume certain foods or beverages. People with chronic anxiety or stress may have more PVCs, and some drugs like amiodarone digoxin and cocaine can increase the risk of developing them.

If you have occasional PVCs your doctor may recommend lifestyle changes and medication. If you have frequent PVCs, your physician may recommend that you avoid certain foods and drinks such as caffeine and alcohol. You can also reduce your stress by getting enough sleep and working out.

If you've got a lot of PVCs, your doctor may suggest a medical procedure called radiofrequency catheter ablation. It eliminates the cells that are responsible for them. Electrophysiologists are the ones who execute this procedure. It is usually successful in treating the PVCs and reducing symptoms, but it doesn't stop them from recurring in the future. In some cases, it can increase your risk of having atrial fibrillation (AFib) which could result in stroke. This is rare but can be life-threatening.

Symptoms

Premature ventricular contractions or PVCs, may make your heart appear to skip or flutter one beat. These extra heartbeats are harmless, but you might need to see your doctor in the event of frequent heartbeats or if you are experiencing symptoms such as dizziness or fatigue.

Normally, electrical signals start in the sinoatrial node located in the top right side of the heart. They descend to the lower chambers (or ventricles) which pump blood. The ventricles expand to pump blood into the lungs. They then return to the center to start the next cycle of pumping. However, a PVC starts in a different location that is separate from the bundle of fibers, known as the Purkinje fibers, in the lower left part of the heart.


When PVCs occur, they cause the heart beat or feel as if it skipped the beat. If you have only a few episodes, and no other symptoms are present, your cardiologist will probably not treat you. If you've got a lot of PVCs, the doctor may recommend an electrocardiogram, or ECG to gauge your heartbeat over the course of 24 hours. He or she might also recommend wearing a Holter monitor that records your heart rhythm over time, allowing you to see how many PVCs you have.

If you've suffered a heart attack in the past or suffer from cardiomyopathy -an illness that alters the way the heart pumps blood -- should be aware of their PVCs and talk to a cardiologist about lifestyle changes. These include abstaining from caffeine, alcohol, and smoking, managing stress and anxiety, as well as getting enough rest. A cardiologist may prescribe medication to slow the heartbeat, like beta blockers.

If you have frequent PVCs even if you do not have any other symptoms, you should consult a cardiologist. These irregular heartbeats could indicate a problem in the structure of your lungs or heart, and if they happen often enough, can weaken the heart muscle. However, most people with PVCs don't experience any problems. They are interested in knowing if the fluttering heartbeats or skipping heartbeats is normal.

Diagnosis

PVCs can feel like fluttering or skipped heartbeats, particularly when they're frequent or intense. People who get lots of them might feel like they're going to faint. They can also occur during training, even though many athletes who get them don't have any problems with their heart or health. PVCs may show up in tests such as an electrocardiogram (ECG) or Holter monitor. These patches have sensors that record electrical impulses coming from your heart. A cardiologist may also use an ultrasound echocardiogram for examining the heart.

A doctor will usually be able to determine whether a patient has PVCs by looking at them and taking a medical history. Sometimes it is possible that they only be able to detect PVCs when they examine a patient for another reason, such as after an accident or a surgery. Ambulatory ECG monitoring systems also aid in detecting PVCs and other arrhythmias and they might be used in the event of any suspicion of a cardiac condition.

If your cardiologist concludes that your heart is structurally healthy, reassurance could be all that's needed. If your symptoms are causing you discomfort or make you be anxious, avoiding alcohol, caffeine, and over the drug decongestants and the reduction of stress could aid. Regular exercise and maintaining a healthy weight and drinking enough fluids can all help to reduce the frequency of PVCs. If the symptoms persist or are severe, talk to your doctor about possible treatments that could help control them.

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If PVCs aren't causing symptoms or are not frequent they aren't usually in need of treatment. If you have them often or frequently, your doctor may wish to examine for other heart conditions and recommend lifestyle changes or medicine. You could also have an operation (called radiofrequency cathode ablation) to get rid them.

If you have PVCs in your heart the electrical signal that causes your heartbeat begins somewhere other than at the sinoatrial (SA) node located in the upper right-hand corner of your heart. This can make it feel like your heart skips beats or has a few extra beats. PVCs are more frequent among those who suffer from heart issues, but it's not known the reason behind them. PVCs may increase in frequency with age and might happen more often during exercise.

If a patient has frequent and painful PVCs the doctor should conduct an ECG and an echocardiogram to determine if there is a structural heart problem. They should also conduct an exercise stress test to see if the extra beats are caused by physical exercise. To find out if there are other causes for the increased beats, a heart catheterization or a cardiac MRI can be performed.

The majority of people with PVCs don't experience any complications and can lead a normal lifestyle. However, they can increase your risk of having dangerous heart rhythm problems especially if you are suffering from certain patterns of them. In some instances, this means that the heart muscle gets weaker and is unable to pump blood throughout your body.

Regular exercise and a balanced diet can lower your chances of developing PVCs. Avoid foods that are high in fat and sodium as well as limit caffeine and tobacco. Sleep and stress are equally important. Some medicines may also increase the risk of developing PVCs. If you take any of these medications it is essential to follow your doctor's recommendations regarding healthy eating, exercising, and taking your medication.

Studies of patients suffering from a high burden of PVCs (that's more than 20% of their total heart beats) discovered that they had a higher incidence of arrhythmia-induced cardiomyopathy. Some patients may require an organ transplant.