How a VC Can Affect Your Heart
PVCs are common and may be experienced by a variety of people with no cause for concern. If they occur often, PVCs may weaken your heart and increase the risk for heart failure.
A bundle of fibers located in the upper right part of your heart (the sinoatrial node, also known as SA) typically controls your heart's rhythm. Electrical signals travel from there to the lower chambers of your heart or ventricles.
Causes
PVCs happen when the electrical impulse that normally initiates your heartbeat at the Sinus Node (also called the Sinoatrial or the SA node) is not initiated. Instead, the impulse starts in a different part of your heart called the ventricles and triggers a wrongly timed beat. These extra beats, known as ventricular tachycardia, or ventricular fibrillation, can feel like your heart skipped a beat or feels like it is fluttering. They can happen infrequently, causing no symptoms, but they can occur frequently enough to affect your standard of life. Your doctor might prescribe medication when they occur frequently or cause dizziness, weakness or fatigue.
For the majority of people, PVCs are harmless and don't increase your risk of heart disease or other health problems. A lot of PVCs however, may weaken your heart muscle over time. This is particularly the case 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 like a feeling of your heart racing one beat, or even fluttering. You may also feel exhausted. The fluttering can be more apparent when you exercise or eat or drink certain drinks or foods. People who experience chronic anxiety or stress can have more PVCs and certain medications like amiodarone digoxin, and cocaine can increase the risk of developing them.
If you are experiencing occasional PVCs your doctor might suggest lifestyle changes and medication. If you experience frequent PVCs, your doctor might recommend that you avoid certain foods and drinks like caffeine and alcohol. You can also reduce your stress by having enough sleep and working out.
If you have a lot of PVCs Your doctor might suggest a medical procedure known as radiofrequency catheter ablation. This procedure destroys the cells that cause them. Electrophysiologists are the ones who execute this procedure. The treatment is generally effective in treating PVCs which reduce symptoms, but it does not stop them from returning in the future. In certain cases, it may increase the risk of having atrial fibrillation (AFib) which is a condition that can cause stroke. It is not common but it could be life-threatening.
Symptoms
Premature ventricular contractions, or PVCs, may make your heart appear to skip or flutter a beat. These extra heartbeats are usually harmless, but it is important to talk to your doctor in case you experience frequent episodes or other symptoms such as dizziness or weakness.
Normally, electrical signals begin at the sinoatrial junction, located in the upper right side of the heart. They move down to the lower chambers (or ventricles) that pump blood. The ventricles expand to force blood into the lung. They return to the center to start the next cycle of pumping. A Pvc Doctor begins at a different spot, the Purkinje fibres bundle in the left-hand side of the heart.
When PVCs happen they can make the heart feel like it is skipping a beat or pounding. If you have only one or two episodes, and no other symptoms are present, your cardiologist will probably not treat you. If you have a lot of PVCs the doctor may suggest you undergo an electrocardiogram (ECG) to monitor your heartbeat for 24 hours. He or she might also suggest wearing a Holter Monitor that records the heart's rhythm and count the number of PVCs.
People who have had a prior heart attack or suffer from cardiomyopathy -which alters the way the heart pumps blood- should be aware of their PVCs and speak with a cardiologist about changes to their lifestyle. These include avoiding alcohol, caffeine and smoking, reducing stress and anxiety, as well as getting enough rest. A cardiologist might prescribe medications to slow the heartbeat for example, a beta blocker.
If you are experiencing frequent PVCs, even if you don't have any other signs, you should see an expert in cardiology. These extra heartbeats can be a sign of a problem with the structure of your heart or to other health conditions, and over time, when they are frequent enough, they may weaken the heart muscle. Most people with PVCs do not have any issues. They simply want to be aware that the fluttering or racing heartbeats aren't normal.
Diagnosis
PVCs can feel like heartbeats that are fluttering especially if they are frequent and intense. People who experience them regularly might feel faint. Exercise can trigger them, but many athletes who suffer from them do not have heart or health issues. PVCs may show up in tests such as an electrocardiogram (ECG) or Holter monitor. These patches contain sensors that record electrical impulses from your heart. A cardiologist can also perform an ultrasound echocardiogram to examine the heart.
A upvc window doctor will usually be able to determine the double glazing doctor presence of PVCs by looking at them and taking a medical history. Sometimes, however, they may only be able to detect PVCs when they examine a patient for another reason, such as after an accident or surgery. Ambulatory ECG monitoring systems can also assist in detecting PVCs and other arrhythmias, and can be used when there is a concern of heart disease.
If your cardiologist has determined that your heart is structurally healthy, reassurance could be all that's needed. If your symptoms are bothersome or make you feel anxious, avoiding caffeine, alcohol and over-the-counter decongestants as well as reducing stress levels can help. Regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight and drinking enough fluids can help to reduce the frequency of PVCs. If your symptoms persist or are severe, talk to your doctor about possible treatments that could help control these symptoms.
Treatment
If PVCs aren't causing symptoms or are not frequent, they usually don't need treatment. If they happen frequently, your doctor might need to examine for heart problems or suggest lifestyle modifications. You may also undergo an intervention to get rid of them (called radiofrequency catheter ablation).
If you have 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 corner of your heart. This could cause it to feel like your heart skips a beat or has a few extra beats. It's not clear what causes these, but they're more frequent in those with other heart problems. PVCs can become more frequent as you age, and could be more frequent during exercising.
If a patient has frequent and painful PVCs the doctor should perform an ECG and an echocardiogram to determine if there is a structural heart problem. The upvc window doctor may also perform an exercise stress test in order to determine if the increased heartbeats are caused by physical exercise. To find out whether there are other reasons for the extra beats, a heart catheterization or cardiac MRI could be conducted.
The majority of people with PVCs do not suffer from any problems and can enjoy a normal lifestyle. But they can increase your risk of having dangerous heart rhythm problems particularly if you have certain patterns of them. In some instances, this means that the heart muscle gets weaker and it is more difficult to pump blood throughout your body.
A healthy and balanced diet and a lot of exercise can reduce the risk of developing PVCs. Avoid foods that are high in fat and sodium as well as reduce your intake of caffeine and tobacco. Sleep and stress are equally important. Some medicines may also increase the risk of developing PVCs. If you take any of these medicines, it is important that you follow the advice of your doctor regarding healthy eating and exercising as well as taking your medication.
Studies of patients with a high amount of PVCs (that's more than 20 percent of their total heart beats) discovered that they had a higher risk of arrhythmia-induced cardiomyopathy. Some people may need an organ transplant.