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Why It's Important to See a Doctor
Premature ventricular contractions (PVCs), are a type of irregular heartbeat. These extra beats are usually not risky, and they may go away on their own.
Doctors will listen to your heartbeat, and check other vital signs. window doctors near me may also order an Holter Monitor, which captures the electrical impulses of your heart over a span of between 24 and 48 hours. They can also request blood tests for checking your electrolyte levels and thyroid hormones.
Diagnosis
PVCs are caused by electrical impulses which misfire through the SA node, a structure found in the lower chambers of the heart. This causes the next heartbeat to delay, which can cause the sensation of racing or skipped beats. PVCs may occur alone, or in repeated patterns. Doublets are two consecutive PVCs. Ventricular tachycardia is three or more consecutive PVCs.
Some people do not experience any symptoms, whereas others experience palpitations. It can be felt as the sound of a beating heart or a skipping heartbeat. Other common symptoms are tiredness, dizziness or a sensation of being unwell.
Many people with occasional PVCs don't need any treatment. If someone is experiencing frequent episodes, doctors might suggest a change to the way of life or diet, such as limiting caffeine, alcohol and stress. They may also prescribe medication such as calcium channel blockers or beta-blockers which can lower the heart rate and lower blood pressure.
Doctors will ask about the patient's medical history and do a physical exam to assess their general health. They can also employ a Holter monitor to track the heart's rhythms over longer durations, or an electrocardiogram, which records a snapshot of the electrical activity of the heart. In some cases, doctors may order blood tests to determine if there is an electrolyte imbalance or toxic effects from drugs.
A pvc physician may refer a patient to an electrophysiologist, or a specialist in heart rhythm disorders for further examination. This specialist can confirm the diagnosis of PVCs and determine whether they are benign or not.
PVCs are fairly common and don't usually cause any problems, unless they occur frequently over a long time. This could lead to a weakening of the heart muscle, or a condition known as pvc-induced cardiomyopathy. This is more prevalent in older people or those suffering from heart disease. It can also happen in healthy people with normal heart function, but it is more likely to occur in those who exercise regularly. It's not a serious concern but it's important to consult your doctor if you experience symptoms such as fainting or fatigue.
Treatment
For many, occasional PVCs may not cause any symptoms or need no treatment. But those who do experience a sensation like your heart is lagging a beat or is racing, it's important to see a doctor as soon as you can.
A cardiologist will start by interviewing you and performing a an examination of your body, listening to your heart with a stethoscope for any irregular beats. You will also undergo an electrocardiogram that records the electrical impulses of your heart, allowing you to identify any arrhythmias. If an arrhythmia has been identified it is recommended to use a portable ECG or a 24-hour Holter monitor is required to capture the abnormal rhythm for longer periods of time. These devices will help doctors determine whether you have PVCs and the cause of them, like an electrolyte imbalance or drug toxicities, or other causes.
An echocardiogram, also known as an ultrasound of your heart, could be ordered to determine if your heart is healthy and check for indications of structural issues that could lead to PVCs. You could also be required to undergo an exercise test to find out how your heart reacts to exercise. Exercise can increase the frequency of pvcs. You can also have blood tests to check your thyroid hormone as well as potassium, magnesium, and other hormones to see if they're too low. This can lead to PVCs.
If your doctor has confirmed that you suffer from PVCs, and has ruled any serious diseases out, the decision to treat them depends on how they impact your life and how frequently they occur. If they occur only occasionally and don't cause any symptoms, your doctor is unlikely to prescribe any medication that will reduce their frequency or severity.
If, however, you suffer from frequent PVCs that do cause heart palpitations, as well as other symptoms such as feeling lightheaded or like you're about to faint, your physician might suggest medication like beta blockers or calcium channel blockers. Lifestyle changes such as abstaining from smoking, caffeine and stress, can reduce the frequency of these abnormal pulses.
Prevention
A person may experience no symptoms whatsoever from PVCs or experience heart palpitations (irregular heartbeats) which can be felt as "skipped" beats or fluttering in the chest. Sometimes, these episodes cause the chest to feel full or swollen in the chest. Other times they can cause a person to feel faint. These episodes are caused by the heart is not pumping as effectively as normal. The frequent PVCs increase the chance of developing dilated cardiomyopathy, a condition where the heart gets larger and becomes ineffective at pump blood.
PVCs are usually caused by changes in the body's chemistry. This includes the release of adrenaline and thyroid hormones and alcohol consumption or caffeine. Lack of exercise can trigger these episodes, as can stress or excessive weight.
Some people can find that a change in their diet helps to reduce their PVCs. They can, for instance, avoid foods that contain preservatives which can cause a disturbance of the heart rhythm. These include disodium guanylate and diazole, and disodium Inosinate Sodium (E282-283). Consume more fruits and vegetables to ensure that you get enough magnesium.
It is essential to have regular health checks, which include annual physicals and lab tests. These tests can help identify any heart-related conditions which could be causing your PVCs. You should also follow a healthy eating plan and avoid smoking, which could increase the frequency of your episodes.
A survey of 14 regular hospital wards found that healthcare personnel were generally aware of preventive measures to avoid infections caused by vascular catheters, however their self-assessment of conformity to these guidelines was low. Compliance improved after an intervention to improve feedback however it was still very low on some of the wards surveyed. This suggests that education on the best ways to implement preventive measures is necessary, and that those areas that are not as well-adjusted should be targeted for infection surveillance. These data can be used to guide quality improvement initiatives in these wards. This will likely involve further training and education for personnel. It will also involve making sure that the appropriate materials are available for the implementing of the preventive measures.
Signs and symptoms
Involuntary ventricular contractions that are premature can cause your heartbeat to skip beats or be fluttering. These arrhythmias can be harmless, but they could indicate you have heart issues that are serious.
In healthy people, occasional PVCs aren't an issue and they generally disappear on their own. If you've got a lot of them, they can cause dizziness or weakness. If you're concerned about them, consult your doctor about the symptoms. They may have to identify the problem by taking an history of your medical condition and giving you an examination. They'll also probably want to perform an electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) or other tests.
A short ECG test lets your doctor see the heartbeat signal going through your body over a a short period of time. If you have PVCs, they'll be visible on the test. Your doctor may also suggest to conduct an overnight or 24-hour Holter monitor which monitors your heartbeat for longer durations of time. These tests can help distinguish PVCs from arrhythmias that cause heart palpitations. You might also wear a portable device that can record your heart's rhythm over 30 days, called an event monitor.
Other tests for your heart might be required, depending on the reason for your PVCs. For instance, a cardiologist might check your blood pressure, and also perform an ultrasound of the heart (echocardiogram). This can help determine if you have a condition that may be the cause of your PVCs, such as mitral valve prolapse or heart failure.
Your doctor may also have to run an examination of your blood to determine what's wrong with your electrolytes such as low potassium or high levels of calcium. This could indicate that you have PVCs or a different health issue such as anemia or anxiety disorders.
You may be referred to a specialist in electrophysiology, who treats abnormal heart rhythms. If you suffer from structural heart disease the specialist may have to perform additional tests, like an MRI or CT scan of your chest. These tests will tell you whether you've suffered damage to your heart and how severe it is. In some cases doctors may suggest an implanted pacemaker to treat the condition that causes the PVCs.