What Is Pvc Doctor And How To Utilize It?
How a VC Can Affect Your Heart
Many people experience occasional PVCs with no problems. If window doctors happen frequently, PVCs may weaken your heart and increase the chance of suffering from heart failure.
A bundle of fibers in the upper right part of your heart (the sinoatrial or SA node) typically regulates your heart rhythm. Electrical signals travel to the lower heart chambers or ventricles.
Causes
PVCs are caused when the electrical impulse that normally triggers your heartbeat at the Sinus Node (also called the Sinoatrial or the SA node) does not. Instead, the impulse starts in a different area of your heart called the ventricles and triggers a wrongly timed beat. These extra beats are also known as ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation. They may feel like the heart beats faster or feels like it is fluttering. They can occur infrequently and have no symptoms or they can happen often enough to interfere with your quality of life. If they happen frequently or cause dizziness, weakness or fatigue, your doctor could treat them with medication.
In most people, PVCs are harmless and don't increase your risk of developing heart disease or other health issues. Regular PVCs, however, can weaken your heart muscle over time. This is particularly true if they are caused by a heart condition such as dilated cardiomyopathy or arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, which may lead to symptomatic heart failure.
PVCs can trigger symptoms such as a feeling of your heart skipping an beat, or the feeling of your heart fluttering. You might also feel breathless. The fluttering can be more noticeable if you exercise, or eat or drink certain drinks or foods. People with chronic stress or anxiety can have more PVCs and certain medications such as amiodarone, digoxin and cocaine can increase the chance of developing them.
If you have occasional PVCs, your doctor may suggest lifestyle changes and medication. If they are a regular occurrence, you may need to avoid some foods and beverages like caffeine and alcohol. You can also take steps to lessen your stress and make sure you get enough sleep and exercise.
If you've got a lot of PVCs Your doctor may recommend a medical procedure referred to as radiofrequency catheter ablation, which destroys the cells that cause them. Electrophysiologists are the ones who carry out this procedure. It is usually successful in treating the PVCs and reducing symptoms however, it doesn't prevent them from occurring in the future. In some instances, it can increase your risk of having atrial fibrillation (AFib) which could result in a stroke. This is rare but can be life-threatening.
Symptoms
Premature ventricular contractures, or PVCs can cause your heart to skip or to flutter. These extra heartbeats can be harmless, but you may be advised to consult your physician if they are frequent or if you experience symptoms like dizziness, or fatigue.
Normally, electrical signals begin at the sinoatrial junction, located in the upper right portion of the heart. These signals descend to the lower chambers (or ventricles) that pump blood. Then, the ventricles contract to propel blood into your lungs, and then return to the heart and start the next pumping cycle. But a PVC begins at a different spot, 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 pound or feel like it skipped a beat. If you experience only a few episodes, but no other symptoms, the cardiologist probably won't treat you. But if you have a lot of PVCs the doctor may recommend an electrocardiogram, also known as an ECG to gauge your heart rate over 24 hours. He or she may also suggest wearing a Holter monitor that records your heartbeat over time to determine how many PVCs you have.
If you've had a prior heart attack or have cardiomyopathy -which affects the way that the heart pumps bloodand should take their PVCs seriously and speak with a cardiologist about lifestyle changes. These include avoiding alcohol, caffeine and smoking, managing stress and anxiety, and getting enough rest. A cardiologist may prescribe medication to slow heartbeat, such as a beta blocker.
If you have frequent PVCs, even if you do not have other symptoms you should see a cardiologist. These heartbeats that are irregular can point to an issue with the structure of your heart or other health conditions and, over time when they are frequent enough, they can weaken the heart muscle. Most people with PVCs don't experience any issues. They just want to know that the fluttering or skipping heartbeats aren't normal.
Diagnosis
PVCs may appear to be fluttering or skip heartbeats, especially when they're intense or frequent. People who experience a lot of them may feel they're going to faint. Exercise can trigger them, but many athletes who experience them have no heart or health problems. PVCs can show up on tests such as an electrocardiogram or Holter monitor. These are sticky patches that have sensors to record electrical signals from your heart. A cardiologist may also perform an echocardiogram, which makes use of ultrasound to look at the heart and observe how it's working.
A doctor will usually be able to determine if a patient has PVCs by examining them and taking their medical history. Sometimes it is possible that they only be able to detect PVCs when they examine the patient for another reason, such as after an accident or surgery. Ambulatory ECG monitors are able to detect PVCs, as well as other arrhythmias. They are able to detect cardiac disease if there is any concerns.
If your cardiologist finds that your heart's structure is normal, reassurance is the only remedy required. If your symptoms are bothersome, or cause you to feel anxious, staying away from alcohol, caffeine and over-the drug decongestants and decreasing stress can aid. Getting regular exercise, staying at a healthy weight, and drinking enough water can decrease the likelihood of PVCs. If your symptoms continue or are extreme, talk to your doctor about treatments that could help control the symptoms.
Treatment
If PVCs are rare or don't cause symptoms, they rarely need treatment. If you experience them frequently and frequently, your doctor might want to look for other heart issues and suggest lifestyle changes or medications. You may also undergo a procedure to get rid of them (called radiofrequency catheter ablation).
If you have PVCs, the electrical signal that causes your heartbeat begins somewhere outside of the sinoatrial node (SA node) in the top right side of your heart. This could cause your heart to feel as if it skips beats or has extra beats. PVCs are more frequent among those suffering from heart disease, but it's not known what causes them. PVCs can increase in frequency as we age and can occur more frequently during exercise.
If a patient has frequent and painful PVCs, a physician should perform an ECG and an echocardiogram to determine if there is a structural heart problem. The doctor will also likely conduct an exercise stress test to determine if the additional heartbeats are due to physical exercise. A heart catheterization or cardiac MRI or nuclear perfusion studies can be conducted to determine other reasons for the extra beats.
The majority of people with PVCs don't experience any problems and can enjoy a normal lifestyle. However, they may increase the risk of developing dangerous heart rhythm problems especially if you are suffering from certain patterns of them. In some cases, that means the heart muscle gets weaker and has trouble pumping blood through your body.
Regular exercise and a balanced diet can reduce your risk of developing PVCs. You should avoid foods that are high in sodium and fat and limit caffeine and tobacco. Sleep and stress are equally important. Certain medications can increase the risk of getting PVCs. If you are taking any of these medications, it is important to follow the advice of your doctor regarding eating a healthy diet and exercising as well as taking your medication.
Studies of patients with a high amount of PVCs (that's more than 20% of their total heart beats) discovered that they had a higher rate of arrhythmia-induced cardiomyopathy. Certain people may require a heart transplant.