The Reasons Pvc Doctor Is Tougher Than You Think
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 risk for heart failure.
A bundle of fibers located in the upper right-hand corner of your heart (the sinoatrial, or SA, node) typically controls your heart's rhythm. Electrical signals travel from this node to the lower chambers of your heart, or ventricles.
Causes
PVCs occur when the electrical impulse that normally triggers your heartbeat at the Sinus Node (also known as the Sinoatrial or the SA node) does not. Instead, the impulse starts in a different part of your heart, the ventricles, and causes a mistimed beat. These extra beats are known as ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation. They may feel like the heart beats faster or feels fluttering. They can happen infrequently, causing no symptoms, but they can also happen frequently enough to affect your standard of life. If they are very frequent or cause weakness, dizziness, or fatigue, your doctor might treat them with medication.
In most people, PVCs are harmless and don't increase your risk of heart disease or other health issues. Regular PVCs however, could weaken your heart muscle over time. This is especially relevant if the PVCs are caused by a condition like dilated cardiomyopathy and arrhythmogenic right ventricle cardiomyopathy that can cause heart failure.
The signs of PVCs include a feeling that your heart beats slower or is fluttering, and you feel breathless. The fluttering can be more apparent if you exercise, or eat or drink certain beverages or foods. People with chronic anxiety or stress can have more PVCs, and some drugs like amiodarone digoxin and cocaine can increase the chance of developing them.
If you are experiencing occasional PVCs Your doctor might suggest lifestyle changes and medication. If you are prone to frequent PVCs, your physician may suggest that you stay away from certain drinks and foods, such as caffeine and alcohol. You can also reduce your stress and take advantage of plenty of rest and exercise.
If you're suffering from lots of PVCs the doctor might suggest a medical treatment called radiofrequency catheter ablation, which eliminates the cells that cause PVCs. This is done by a specialist known as an electrophysiologist. The treatment is generally successful in treating PVCs which reduce symptoms, but it does not stop them from returning in the future. In some instances it can increase the risk of developing atrial fibrillation (AFib) which could cause a stroke. It is not common, but it could be life-threatening.
Signs and symptoms
Premature ventricular contracts or PVCs may cause your heart to skip or flutter. These extra heartbeats are generally harmless, however, you should consult your physician if you have frequent episodes or other symptoms such as dizziness or weakness.
Normaly, electrical signals begin in the sinoatrial region, which is in the upper right-hand part of the heart. They then move to the lower chambers, also known as ventricles, that pump blood. Then, the ventricles expand to push blood into your lungs and then return to your heart to start the next pumping cycle. But a PVC begins in a different location that is separate from the bundle of fibers called the Purkinje fibers in the lower left part of the heart.
When PVCs occur, they cause the heart pound or feel like it skipped a beat. If you only have a few episodes, and there are no other symptoms, your cardiologist will probably not prescribe treatment. But if you have a large number of PVCs, the doctor may suggest an electrocardiogram, or ECG to determine your heartbeat over 24 hours. He or she might also recommend wearing a Holter Monitor, which records your heartbeat and tracks the number of PVCs.
People who have suffered a heart attack in the past or suffer from cardiomyopathy -- a condition that alters the way the heart pumps blood -and should be aware of their PVCs and consult a cardiologist about lifestyle changes. Those include avoiding caffeine, alcohol and smoking, managing anxiety and stress and getting enough rest. A cardiologist might prescribe medication to slow the heartbeat for example, a beta blocker.
If you are experiencing frequent PVCs even if you don't have any other symptoms, you should consult an expert in cardiology. These extra heartbeats can indicate problems with the structure of your heart or to other health conditions and, over time when they are frequent enough, they can weaken the heart muscle. However, most people suffering from PVCs do not experience any issues. They would like to know if rapid heartbeats, or the skipping of heartbeats is normal.
Diagnosis
PVCs may appear to be fluttering or skip heartbeats, especially if they're intense or frequent. window doctor who experience them often may feel faint. Exercise can trigger PVCs, but a lot of athletes who suffer from these symptoms do not have heart or health issues. PVCs can be detected on tests such as an electrocardiogram, or Holter monitor. These patches contain sensors which record electrical impulses that come from your heart. A cardiologist may also use an ultrasound echocardiogram to examine the heart.
A doctor can often tell if a patient has PVCs by conducting a thorough examination and taking a medical history. Sometimes, however, they may only notice PVCs when examining a patient for another reason, like following an accident or surgery. Ambulatory ECG monitors are able to detect PVCs, as well as other arrhythmias. They are able to detect heart disease if there is any concern.
If your cardiologist finds that your heart is structurally normal, reassurance will be the only treatment needed. If your symptoms are bothersome or make you feel anxious, avoiding alcohol, caffeine, and over the prescription decongestants, as well as the reduction of stress could help. Regular exercise and maintaining a healthy weight, and drinking enough fluids can aid in reducing the frequency of PVCs. If you are experiencing symptoms that are persistent or extreme, consult your doctor about medications that could help reduce these symptoms.
Treatment
If PVCs don't cause symptoms or are not frequent they aren't usually in need of treatment. If you experience them frequently and frequently, your doctor might want to look for other heart conditions and recommend lifestyle changes or medication. You could also undergo an operation (called radiofrequency cathode ablation) to get rid of them.
If you suffer from PVCs in your heart the electrical signal that triggers your heartbeat starts somewhere outside of the sinoatrial (SA) node, which is located in the upper right-hand corner of your heart. This could cause your heart to feel as if it skips a beating or has additional beats. It's not clear what causes them, but they're more frequent in those with other heart problems. PVCs can become more frequent as you age, and they could be more frequent during exercises.
A doctor should conduct 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 perform an exercise stress test in order to determine if the increased heartbeats are related to physical activity. A heart catheterization or cardiac MRI or nuclear perfusion studies can be conducted to determine other causes for the increased beats.
Most people with PVCs do not experience any problems and can enjoy an ordinary life. However, they may increase the risk of developing dangerous heart rhythm issues, especially if you have certain patterns of them. In some instances, this means that the heart muscle becomes weaker and has difficulty pumping blood throughout your body.
A regular, healthy diet and plenty of exercise can reduce the risk of developing PVCs. Avoid foods high in fat and sodium, and limit your intake of caffeine and tobacco. Also, you should try to get enough rest and reduce stress. Certain medicines can also increase your risk of PVCs. If you are taking any of these medicines, it is important to follow the advice of your doctor about eating healthy and exercising as well as taking your medication.
In studies of patients suffering from PVC burdens that are excessive (more than 20% of heartbeats) the higher rate of arrhythmia-induced cardiac myopathy was discovered. This can lead to a need for a heart transplant in certain individuals.