15 Interesting Facts About Pvc Doctor That You'd Never Been Educated About How a VC Can Affect Your Heart

A lot of people experience occasional PVCs with no problems. If they occur often, PVCs may weaken your heart and increase your chance of suffering from heart failure.

A bundle of fibers in the upper right part of your heart (the sinoatrial node, also known as SA) usually controls your heart's rhythm. Electrical signals travel to the lower heart chambers or ventricles.

Causes

PVCs happen when the electrical impulse that usually initiates your heartbeat in a part known as the sinus node (also called the sinoatrial node or SA node) does not. Instead, the impulse starts in another area of your heart, the ventricles, and causes an untimed beat. These extra beats, also called ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation, may feel like your heart skipped a beat or is like it's fluttering. They can happen infrequently without causing any symptoms, but they may also happen frequently enough to affect your quality of life. If they occur frequently or cause weakness, dizziness, or fatigue, your doctor may treat them with medicine.

For the majority of people, PVCs are harmless and don't increase your risk of heart disease or other health problems. Frequent PVCs however, could weaken the heart muscle over time. This is especially when the PVCs are triggered by conditions like dilated cardiomyopathy and arrhythmogenic right ventricle cardiomyopathy that could lead to heart failure.

PVCs can cause symptoms such as a feeling of your heart skipping one beat, or even the feeling of your heart fluttering. It is also possible to feel breathless. The fluttering could be more apparent when you exercise or consume certain drinks or foods. PVCs are more prevalent in people with chronic anxiety or stress. Some drugs, like digoxin, amiodarone or cocaine, may increase the risk of developing PVCs.

If you experience occasional PVCs, your doctor may suggest lifestyle changes and medication. If you experience frequent PVCs, your doctor may recommend avoiding certain drinks and foods, such as caffeine and alcohol. You can also take steps to reduce your stress levels, and get plenty of sleep and exercise.

If you're suffering from many PVCs The doctor may suggest a medical treatment called radiofrequency catheter ablation. This destroys cells that cause PVCs. The procedure is carried out by a specialist, known as an electrophysiologist. The treatment is usually successful in treating PVCs, reducing symptoms but it does not stop them from returning in the future. In certain instances, it can increase the risk of developing atrial fibrillation (AFib) which is a condition that can lead to stroke. It's not common, but it can be life-threatening.

Symptoms

Premature ventricular contractions, also known as PVCs, can make your heart appear to flutter or skip one beat. These extra heartbeats are harmless, but you might want to consult your doctor when they occur frequently or if you are experiencing symptoms like dizziness, or fatigue.


The electrical signals normally begin in the sinoatrial area, which is located in the upper right-hand part of the heart. They then travel to the lower chambers, or ventricles, which pump blood. The ventricles then contract to propel blood into the lungs, and then return to your heart to start the next cycle of pumping. A PVC starts in a different location in the Purkinje fibres bundle in the bottom left of the heart.

When PVCs occur, they cause the heart beat faster or feel as if it skipped the beat. If you experience a few episodes and no other symptoms, the doctor will probably not treat you. If you've got a lot of PVCs and your doctor might recommend that you undergo an electrocardiogram (ECG) to monitor your heartbeat for 24 hours. He or she may also recommend wearing a Holter monitor, which will record your heartbeat over time to see the number of PVCs you have.

If you've had previously from a heart attack or have suffered from cardiomyopathy - an illness that affects method by which the heart pumps blood - should take their PVCs very seriously and consult a cardiologist regarding lifestyle changes. This includes avoiding caffeine, alcohol and smoking, managing stress and anxiety and getting enough rest. A cardiologist might also prescribe medication to slow the heartbeat, like a beta blocker.

Even if you don't have any other indications however, you should have PVCs examined by a cardiologist if they happen often. These extra heartbeats may be a sign of a problem with the structure of your lungs or heart, and if they occur often enough, it could weaken the heart muscle. Most people with PVCs do not have any problems. They would like to know if irregular heartbeats or fluttering is normal.

Diagnosis

PVCs can be akin to heartbeats that are fluttering, especially if they are frequent and intense. People who get lots of them may feel they're going to faint. Exercise can cause them, but most athletes who suffer from them do not have heart or health issues. PVCs may show up in tests like an electrocardiogram (ECG) or Holter monitor. They have sensors that record electrical impulses from your heart. A cardiologist could also employ an echocardiogram, which makes use of ultrasound to look at the heart and observe how it's functioning.

A doctor will usually be able to determine the presence of PVCs by looking at them and taking a medical history. However, sometimes they will only be able to detect them when they examine the patient for other reasons, for instance after an accident or surgery. Ambulatory ECG monitors can detect PVCs as well as other arrhythmias. They may be used to identify cardiac problems when there is a concern.

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 alcohol, caffeine and other decongestants as well as reducing stress levels can help. window doctor and maintaining a healthy weight, and drinking enough fluids can all aid in reducing the frequency of PVCs. If you are experiencing symptoms that are persistent or extreme, consult your doctor about medications that may be able to manage the symptoms.

Treatment

If PVCs aren't causing symptoms or happen rarely generally, they don't require treatment. If you experience them frequently or frequently, your doctor may wish to check for other heart conditions and suggest lifestyle changes or medicine. You might also get an operation to rid yourself of them (called radiofrequency catheter ablation).

When you have PVCs, the electrical signal that triggers your heartbeat is generated from a place other than the sinoatrial node (SA node) in the top right part of your heart. This can cause your heart to feel like it skips a beating or has additional beats. It's not known what causes them, but they're more common in people who have other heart issues. PVCs may increase in frequency as you age, and they could be more frequent during exercise.

A physician should perform an ECG as well as an echocardiogram on a patient that suffers from frequent and painful PVCs to rule out structural heart diseases. They may also perform an exercise stress test to see whether the additional beats are due to physical exercise. A heart catheterization, cardiac MRI or nuclear perfusion study can be conducted to determine other reasons for the increased beats.

Most people with PVCs are not affected and can live the normal life. They can increase the risk of developing heart rhythm disorders that can be dangerous particularly if they develop in certain patterns. In some cases, this means that the heart muscle gets weaker and it is more difficult to pump blood throughout the body.

Regular exercise and a balanced diet can lower your chances of developing PVCs. You should avoid foods that are high in fat and sodium as well as restrict your intake of tobacco and caffeine. It is also important to get enough sleep and manage stress. Certain medications can increase the risk of getting PVCs. If you are taking one of these medications it's crucial to follow your doctor's instructions about a healthy diet, exercise and taking your medication.

In studies of patients suffering from high PVC burdens (more than 20% of the total heartbeats) the higher rate of arrhythmia-induced myopathy in the heart was observed. This can result in the need for a heart transplant in a few individuals.