How a VC Can Affect Your Heart
PVCs are common and can be experienced by a wide range of people without causing any problems. But if they occur frequently, PVCs can weaken your heart muscle and increase the risk of heart failure.
The heart's rhythm is controlled by a group of nerve fibers situated in the upper right-hand corner of your heart. window doctors near me is known as the sinoatrial nerve, or SA. Electrical signals travel from this node to the lower heart chambers, or ventricles.
Causes
PVCs happen when the electrical impulse that usually begins your heartbeat in a part called the sinus node (also known as the sinoatrial or SA node) doesn't. The impulse actually begins in the ventricles and causes an untimed heartbeat. These extra beats are known as ventricular tachycardia, and ventricular fibrillation. It could feel as if the heart skipped a beating or feels fluttering. They can occur infrequently and not cause any symptoms, or they can happen often enough to interfere with your quality of life. If they happen frequently or cause weakness, dizziness or fatigue, your doctor might treat them with medicine.
For the majority of people, PVCs are harmless and do not increase the risk of heart disease or other health problems. Over time, frequent PVCs can weaken the heart muscle. This is particularly the case if they are caused by a heart disease such as dilated cardiomyopathy arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy which can lead to symptomatic heart failure.
PVCs can trigger symptoms such as a feeling of your heart beating an beat, or the feeling of your heart fluttering. It is also possible to feel exhausted. The fluttering may be more apparent if you exercise, or consume certain beverages or foods. People who suffer from chronic anxiety or stress can have more PVCs and certain drugs like amiodarone digoxin, and cocaine can increase the chance of developing them.
If you are experiencing occasional PVCs Your doctor may suggest lifestyle changes and medication. If you experience frequent PVCs, your physician may recommend that you avoid certain foods and drinks, such as alcohol and caffeine. You can also take steps to lessen your stress and take advantage of plenty of rest and exercise.
If you have many PVCs Your doctor may suggest a medical procedure called radiofrequency catheter ablation. It destroys the cells that cause them. Electrophysiologists are the ones who execute this procedure. The treatment is usually effective in treating PVCs and reducing symptoms, but does not prevent them from recurring in the future. In some cases it may increase your risk of atrial fibrillation (AFib), which can cause a stroke. It is not common, but it can be life-threatening.
Symptoms
Premature ventricular contracts, or PVCs can cause your heart to skip or to flutter. These extra heartbeats are usually harmless, but you should consult your physician if you have frequent episodes or symptoms like dizziness or weakness.
The normal electrical signals start in the sinoatrial area, which is located in the upper right-hand corner of the heart. They then travel to the lower chambers, also known as ventricles, where blood pumps are located. The ventricles then contract to pump blood into the lungs. They return to the heart's center to begin the next cycle of pumping. A PVC begins at a different spot in the Purkinje fibers are located in the bottom left of the heart.
When PVCs occur they can make the heart feel like it is skipping a beat or pounding. If you only have just a few episodes and there are no other symptoms your cardiologist may not treat you. But if you have a number of PVCs the doctor may suggest an electrocardiogram, or ECG to determine the heart's rate over the course of 24 hours. The doctor may also recommend wearing a Holter monitor that records your heartbeat over time to see the number of PVCs you have.
If you've had previously from a heart attack or cardiomyopathy - an illness that affects the heart's blood flow - must take their PVCs seriously and speak to an expert in cardiology about lifestyle modifications. These include abstaining from caffeine, alcohol, and smoking, reducing stress and anxiety, and getting enough rest. A cardiologist can prescribe beta blockers to slow down the heartbeat.
If you have frequent PVCs, even if you do not have other symptoms you should see a cardiologist. These irregular heartbeats could point to a problem with the structure of your heart or other health issues and, over time when they happen frequently enough, they can weaken the heart muscle. However, most people suffering from PVCs don't have any issues. They want to know if the irregular heartbeats or fluttering is normal.
Diagnosis
PVCs can be akin to heartbeats that are fluttering especially if they are frequent and intense. People who experience a lot of them might feel like they're going to faint. Exercise can trigger them, but many athletes who experience these symptoms do not have heart or health issues. PVCs may show up in tests like an electrocardiogram, or Holter monitor. They have sensors that record electrical impulses from your heart. A cardiologist could also employ an ultrasound echocardiogram for examining the heart.
Often, a doctor will be able to tell whether a person has PVCs from a history and physical examination. Sometimes, they may not be aware of them until they examine the patient for other reasons, such as after a surgery or accident. Ambulatory ECG monitoring systems can help detect PVCs and other arrhythmias and they might be used if there's any concern of heart disease.
If your cardiologist determines your heart is structurally healthy, reassurance could be all you need. If your symptoms are causing you discomfort or cause you to feel anxious, staying away from alcohol, caffeine and over-the counter decongestants, and reducing stress may aid. Regular exercise and maintaining a healthy weight and drinking enough fluids can help reduce the frequency of PVCs. If the symptoms persist or are severe, speak to your doctor about possible treatments that could help control these symptoms.
Treatment
If PVCs are rare or don't cause symptoms, they don't usually require treatment. If you have them often and frequently, your doctor might want to look for other heart issues and recommend lifestyle changes or medicine. You could also have a procedure (called radiofrequency cathode ablation) to eliminate them.
If you have PVCs in your heart the electrical signal that causes your heartbeat begins somewhere other than at the sinoatrial (SA) node, which is located in the upper right-hand corner of your heart. This could cause it to feel like your heart skips beats or has extra beats. It's not clear what causes these symptoms, but they're frequent in those with other heart problems. PVCs can increase in frequency as you age, and may occur more often during exercising.
If a patient experiences frequent and painful PVCs doctors should perform an ECG and an echocardiogram to rule out structural heart disease. They may also perform an exercise stress test to see whether the extra beats are due to physical exercise. To find out whether there are any other causes for the increased beats an invasive heart catheterization or cardiac MRI is possible.
Most people who suffer from PVCs do not experience any issues and can live an ordinary life. But they can increase your risk of having dangerous heart rhythm issues, especially if you have certain patterns of them. In some instances, this means that the heart muscle becomes weaker and is having difficulty pumping blood throughout your body.
A healthy and balanced diet and plenty of exercise can help reduce your chances of developing PVCs. Avoid foods high in sodium and fat, and limit your consumption of tobacco and caffeine. Stress and sleep are also crucial. Certain medicines can also increase the risk of developing PVCs. If you are taking any of these medications it is essential that you follow your doctor's advice regarding healthy eating exercising, as well as taking your medication.
In studies of patients with high PVC burdens (more than 20% of the total heartbeats), a higher rate arrhythmia-induced myopathy in the heart was observed. This can lead to the need for a transplant in some patients.