What Pvc Doctor Is Your Next Big Obsession?
How a VC Can Affect Your Heart
Many people experience occasional PVCs and have no issues. If they happen frequently, PVCs may weaken your heart and increase your chance of suffering from heart failure.
A bundle of fibers in the top right portion of your heart (the sinoatrial node, also known as SA) typically regulates the heart's rhythm. Electrical signals travel from this node to the lower heart chambers, or ventricles.
Causes
PVCs happen when the electrical impulse that normally initiates your heartbeat at the Sinus Node (also known as the Sinoatrial or the SA node) does not. Instead, the impulse starts in another area of your heart called the ventricles and triggers an untimed beat. These extra beats are also known as ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation. They may feel like the heart beats faster or feels fluttering. They can happen infrequently and not cause any symptoms, but they could be frequent enough to affect your standard of living. If they happen frequently or cause weakness, dizziness, or fatigue, your doctor might treat them with medicine.
For most people, PVCs are harmless and aren't likely to increase your risk of heart disease or other health problems. In time, frequent PVCs can weaken the heart muscle. This is particularly true if they are caused by a heart disease such as dilated cardiomyopathy or arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, which could lead to symptoms of heart failure.
PVCs can trigger symptoms, such as a sensation of your heart beating one beat, or even the feeling of your heart fluttering. You may also feel breathless. The fluttering can be more apparent when you exercise, or eat or drink certain beverages or foods. People who suffer from 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 are experiencing occasional PVCs, your doctor may suggest lifestyle changes and medications. If they are a frequent occurrence, you may need to avoid some foods and beverages, such as alcohol and caffeine. You can also lower stress by taking enough rest and working out.
If you're suffering from lots of PVCs the doctor might recommend a medical treatment known as radiofrequency catheter ablation. This destroys the cells that are responsible for PVCs. Electrophysiologists are the ones who execute this procedure. The treatment is usually successful in treating PVCs and reducing symptoms, but it does not stop them from returning in the future. In certain cases, it may increase the risk of developing atrial fibrillation (AFib), which can cause stroke. This is rare but can be life-threatening.
Symptoms
Premature ventricular contractions, or PVCs, may make your heart seem to flutter or skip one beat. These heartbeats can be harmless, but it is important to talk to your doctor in case you experience frequent episodes or symptoms like dizziness or weakness.
Normaly, electrical signals begin in the sinoatrial region, which is in the upper right-hand part of the heart. They then travel to the lower chambers, also known as ventricles, which pump blood. The ventricles expand to pump blood into the lung. They return to the heart's center to begin the next cycle of pumping. But a PVC starts in a different place, from the bundle of fibers known as the Purkinje fibers in the bottom left portion of the heart.
When PVCs occur, they cause the heart beat or feel like it skipped the beat. If you have only one or two episodes, and no other symptoms are present your cardiologist may not be able to treat you. If you have a lot of PVCs and your doctor might suggest that you undergo an electrocardiogram (ECG) to measure the heartbeat for 24 hours. The doctor may also suggest wearing a Holter monitor that records your heart rhythm over time to see how many PVCs you have.
People who have had a prior heart attack or suffer from cardiomyopathy -an illness that affects how the heart pumps blood -- should take their PVCs seriously and speak with a cardiologist about lifestyle changes. These include abstaining from alcohol, caffeine and smoking, managing anxiety and stress, and getting enough rest. A cardiologist can prescribe beta blockers to slow down the heartbeat.
If you are experiencing frequent PVCs even if you do not have other symptoms you should see a cardiologist. These heartbeats that are irregular could be a sign of a problem with the structure of your heart or lungs and if they happen often enough, can weaken your heart muscle. But most people with PVCs do not experience any issues. double glazing doctor would like to know if rapid heartbeats, or the skipping of heartbeats is normal.
Diagnosis
PVCs can be akin to heartbeats that are fluttering, especially if they are frequent and intense. Patients who have a lot of them might feel like they're going to faint. They can also occur with exercise, though many athletes who suffer from them do not have any issues 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 impulses from your heart. A cardiologist could also employ an ultrasound echocardiogram to examine the heart.
A doctor can often tell the presence of PVCs by looking at them and taking a medical history. Sometimes, they may not be aware of them until they examine the patient for different reasons, like after a surgery or accident. Ambulatory ECG monitors are able to detect PVCs as well as other arrhythmias. They can 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 you need. If your symptoms are bothersome or cause you to feel anxious, avoiding alcohol, caffeine and other over the drug decongestants and decreasing stress can help. Getting regular exercise, staying at a healthy weight, and drinking enough water can also help reduce the frequency of PVCs. If your symptoms continue or are severe, talk with your physician about possible treatments that could help control the symptoms.
Treatment
If PVCs do not cause any symptoms or happen rarely generally, they don't require treatment. If you have them often, your doctor may want to look for other heart issues and suggest lifestyle changes or medication. You might also get a procedure to get rid of them (called radiofrequency catheter ablation).
When you have PVCs, the electrical signal that causes your heartbeat is generated from a place different than the sinoatrial nerve (SA node) in the top right corner of your heart. This could cause your heart to feel as if it skips beats or has extra beats. It's not known what causes them, but they're more common in people with other heart problems. PVCs may increase in frequency with age and might happen more frequently during exercise.
If a patient experiences frequent and painful PVCs the doctor should perform an ECG and an echocardiogram to determine if there is a structural heart problem. They may also perform an exercise stress test to determine whether the extra beats are due to physical activity. To find out whether there are other reasons for the extra beats an invasive heart catheterization or a cardiac MRI could be conducted.
Most people with PVCs do not experience any complications and can lead an ordinary life. However, they can increase your risk of having dangerous heart rhythm issues particularly if you have certain patterns of them. In some cases, that means that your heart muscle gets weaker and has trouble pumping blood through your body.
Regular exercise and a healthy diet can reduce your risk of developing PVCs. Avoid foods that are high in sodium and fat, and limit your consumption of caffeine and tobacco. It is also important to get enough sleep and reduce stress. Certain medications can increase your risk for PVCs. If you are taking one of these drugs it is important to follow your doctor's recommendations about a healthy diet, exercise and taking your medication.
Studies of patients with a high burden of PVCs (that's more than 20% of their total heart beats) discovered that they had a higher risk of arrhythmia-induced cardiomyopathy. This could lead to the need for a transplant in a few people.