Find Out What Pvc Doctor Tricks The Celebs Are Using How a VC Can Affect Your Heart

Many people experience occasional PVCs without any problems. If they are frequent, PVCs may weaken your heart and increase your risk of heart failure.

The heart's rhythm is 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 to the ventricles or lower chambers of your heart.

Causes

PVCs occur when the electrical impulse that usually initiates your heartbeat in a region called the sinus node (also called the sinoatrial node or SA node) doesn't. Instead, the impulse starts in a different area of your heart, the ventricles, and causes an untimed beat. These extra beats, also called ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation, could feel as if your heart skipped a beat or feels like it's fluttering. They may occur infrequently, causing no symptoms, but they could be frequent enough to impact your quality of living. If they occur frequently or cause weakness, dizziness or fatigue, your doctor may treat them with medicine.

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

The signs of PVCs include a feeling that your heart beats slower or is fluttering, and you feel exhausted. repairmywindowsanddoors fluttering could be more evident when you exercise or eat or drink certain foods or beverages. People with chronic anxiety or stress can have more PVCs, and some drugs like amiodarone digoxin and cocaine can increase the risk of developing them.

If you experience occasional PVCs your doctor may suggest lifestyle changes and medications. If they're a frequent occurrence, you may have to avoid certain drinks and foods, such as 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 suggest a medical procedure called radiofrequency catheter ablation. It destroys cells that cause PVCs. This procedure is performed by a specialist called an electrophysiologist. The treatment is typically successful in treating PVCs, reducing symptoms but does not prevent them from recurring in the future. In certain cases, it may increase the risk of having atrial fibrillation (AFib), which can result in stroke. This is rare, but it can be life-threatening.

Symptoms

Premature ventricular contractions, also known as PVCs, can make your heart seem to flutter or skip the beat. These extra heartbeats can be harmless, however you might be advised to consult your physician when they occur frequently or if you are experiencing symptoms such as dizziness or fatigue.

Normally, electrical signals begin at the sinoatrial junction, which is in the top right side of the heart. These signals move down to the lower chambers (or ventricles) which pump blood. Then, the ventricles contract to propel blood into your lungs, and then return to your heart to begin the next pumping cycle. However, a PVC starts in a different place and is located in the bundle of fibers called the Purkinje fibers, located in the bottom left portion of the heart.

When PVCs happen, the heart may feel like it is beating faster or slower. If you have just a few episodes but no other symptoms, your cardiologist probably won't treat you. If you have many PVCs the doctor may suggest you undergo an electrocardiogram (ECG) to monitor your heartbeat for 24 hours. He or she may also suggest wearing a Holter monitor, which will record your heartbeat over time, allowing you to see how many PVCs you have.

Anyone who has suffered previously from a heart attack or cardiomyopathy, a condition which affects the method by which the heart pumps blood - should take their PVCs seriously and consult a cardiologist regarding lifestyle modifications. These include avoiding caffeine, alcohol and smoking, managing anxiety and stress and ensuring adequate sleep. A cardiologist can prescribe beta blockers to slow the heartbeat.

Even if you don't have any other symptoms it is still recommended to have PVCs examined by a cardiologist if they happen frequently. These heartbeats that are irregular could signal a problem with the structure of your lungs or heart, and if they occur frequently enough, they can weaken your heart muscle. Most people with PVCs do not experience any issues. They simply want to know that the fluttering or skippy heartbeats aren't typical.


Diagnosis

PVCs can be akin to heartbeats that are fluttering particularly if they're frequent and intense. Patients who have a lot of them may feel they're going to faint. They can also occur with exercising, but most athletes who experience them don't have any problems with their health or heart. PVCs can be detected in tests like an electrocardiogram (ECG) or Holter monitor. These use sticky patches with sensors on them to record electrical signals from your heart. A cardiologist may also use an ultrasound echocardiogram to study the heart.

A doctor may be able to identify if someone has PVCs from a patient's history and physical exam. Sometimes however, they might only notice PVCs when examining the patient for another reason, such as after an accident or a surgery. Ambulatory ECG monitoring systems can aid in detecting PVCs and other arrhythmias and can be used when there is a concern of cardiac disease.

If your cardiologist finds that your heart's structure is normal, reassurance is the only treatment required. If your symptoms are troubling or cause you to feel anxious, avoiding alcohol, caffeine, and other decongestants and reducing stress may help. Regular exercise, being at a healthy weight and drinking enough water can also reduce your episodes of PVCs. If your symptoms continue or are severe, talk with your physician about possible medication options to treat them.

Treatment

If PVCs are rare or don't cause symptoms, they don't usually need treatment. If you experience them frequently and frequently, your doctor might want to check for other heart issues and recommend lifestyle changes or medicine. You could also undergo a procedure (called radiofrequency cathode ablation) to eliminate of them.

When you have PVCs, the electrical signal that triggers your heartbeat starts somewhere different than the sinoatrial nerve (SA node) located in the upper right side of your heart. This can make it feel like your heart skips a beat or has extra beats. It's not clear what causes them, but they're more frequent in those with other heart conditions. PVCs can become more frequent as you age, and may be more frequent during exercise.

A physician should perform an ECG and an echocardiogram on a patient that suffers from frequent and painful PVCs to determine if there are structural heart problems. The doctor may also conduct an exercise stress test to determine if the additional heartbeats are related to physical exercise. A heart catheterization or cardiac MRI or nuclear perfusion study could be performed to find other reasons for the increased beats.

Most people with PVCs don't experience any complications and can lead a normal lifestyle. They can increase your risk for dangerous heart rhythm disorders particularly if they develop in certain patterns. In some instances, this means that the heart muscle becomes weaker and is unable to pump blood throughout your body.

A regular, healthy diet and plenty of exercise can reduce the chances of developing PVCs. Avoid foods high in sodium and fat, and limit your consumption of tobacco and caffeine. You should also try to get enough sleep and reduce stress. Certain medications can increase your risk for PVCs. If you are taking any of these medicines, it is important to follow your doctor's recommendations about eating healthy, exercising, and taking your medication.

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