What Pvc Doctor Is Your Next Big Obsession
How a VC Can Affect Your Heart
PVCs are commonplace and can be experienced by a variety of people without causing any issues. If they occur regularly, PVCs can weaken your heart muscle and increase the risk of heart failure.
The rhythm of your heart is controlled by a group of fibers that are located in the upper right-hand corner of your heart. This is known as the sinoatrial node or SA. Electrical signals are transmitted from there to the lower heart chambers, or ventricles.
Causes
PVCs occur when the electrical impulse that typically starts your heartbeat at a point known as the sinus node (also known as the sinoatrial or SA Node) doesn't. Instead, the impulse is generated in a different area of your heart, the ventricles, and causes an untimed beat. These extra beats are known as ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation. It could feel as if 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 daily life. If they happen frequently or cause weakness, dizziness or fatigue, your doctor could treat them with medicine.
PVCs are generally safe and do not increase your risk of heart disease. A lot of PVCs, however, can weaken your heart muscle over time. This is particularly relevant if the PVCs result from a condition like dilated cardiomyopathy and arrhythmogenic right-ventricular cardiomyopathy, which can cause heart failure.
PVCs can trigger symptoms such as a feeling of your heart racing an beat, or fluttering. You may also feel breathless. The fluttering can be more evident when you exercise or eat or drink certain beverages or foods. PVCs are more common in people with chronic anxiety or stress. Certain medications, such as digoxin, amiodarone or cocaine, may increase the risk.
If you have occasional PVCs, your doctor may recommend lifestyle changes and medicines. If they're a frequent occurrence, you may have to avoid certain foods and beverages, such as alcohol and caffeine. You can also reduce your stress levels by having enough sleep and exercising.
If you have a lot of PVCs Your doctor may recommend a medical procedure referred to as radiofrequency catheter ablation. This procedure eliminates the cells that are responsible for them. This is done by a specialist called an electrophysiologist. It is typically effective in treating PVCs and reducing symptoms but it doesn't stop them from occurring in the future. In some cases it can increase the risk of atrial fibrillation (AFib), which can result in stroke. This is rare but can be life-threatening.
Symptoms
Premature ventricular contractions or PVCs, can cause your heart seem to flutter or skip one beat. These extra heartbeats can be harmless, but you may want to consult your doctor nearby when they occur frequently or if you experience symptoms like dizziness or fatigue.
The normal electrical signals start 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, where blood pumps are located. The ventricles then contract to pump blood into the lung. They return to the center to start the next cycle of pumping. But a PVC starts in a different location and is located in the bundle of fibers called the Purkinje fibers in the left-hand side of the heart.
When PVCs occur and the heart is affected, it may feel like it is skipping a beat or pounding. If you only have a few episodes, and there are no other symptoms the cardiologist will likely not treat you. However, if you have lot of PVCs the doctor may suggest an electrocardiogram, or ECG, to measure the heart's rate over the course of 24 hours. He or she may also suggest wearing a Holter monitor that will track the heart's rhythm over time, allowing you to see the number of PVCs you have.
People who have suffered a previous heart attack or cardiomyopathy, an illness that affects heart's blood flow - must take their PVCs seriously and speak to a cardiologist about lifestyle modifications. These include avoiding alcohol, caffeine and window Restoration smoking, reducing anxiety and stress, and getting enough rest. A cardiologist may also prescribe medication to slow heartbeat, such as a beta blocker.
Even if there aren't any other symptoms however, you should have PVCs examined by an expert in cardiology if they occur often. These heartbeats that are irregular can point to problems with the structure of your heart or other health conditions, and over time, when they happen frequently enough, they could weaken the heart muscle. However, most people with PVCs don't have any issues. They just want to know that the fluttering or skipping heartbeats aren't normal.
Diagnosis
PVCs might feel like fluttering or skipped heartbeats, especially if they're intense or frequent. People who get lots of them may feel they're about to faint. They can also occur with exercising, but most athletes who experience them do not have any issues in their heart or health. PVCs could show up in tests such as an electrocardiogram (ECG) or Holter monitor. They use sticky patches with sensors that record electrical impulses from your heart. A cardiologist could also employ an echocardiogram, which uses ultrasound to examine the heart and determine how it's functioning.
A doctor may be able to tell whether the patient is suffering from PVCs from a patient's history and physical examination. Sometimes it is possible that they only notice PVCs when examining a patient for another reason, like following an accident or a surgery. Ambulatory ECG monitoring systems also help detect PVCs and other arrhythmias and can be used in the event of any suspicion of a cardiac condition.
If your cardiologist concludes that your heart's structure is normal, reassurance will be the only treatment required. However, 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. Getting regular exercise, staying at a healthy weight and drinking enough water can reduce your episodes of PVCs. If your symptoms persist or are extreme, talk with your physician about possible 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, your doctor may want to examine for other heart issues and recommend lifestyle changes or medication. You might also get an intervention to get rid of them (called radiofrequency catheter ablation).
If you have PVCs in your heart the electrical signal that creates your heartbeat is located different than the sinoatrial (SA) node that is located in the upper right-hand corner of your heart. It can feel like your heart skips a beat or has a few extra beats. It's not known what causes these, but they're more common in people with other heart issues. PVCs are more likely to occur as you age, and could be more frequent during exercise.
If a patient experiences frequent and painful PVCs the doctor should conduct an ECG and an echocardiogram to rule out heart disease that is structural. The doctor will also perform an exercise stress test to determine if the additional heartbeats are due to physical exercise. To determine if there are other causes for the increased beats an invasive heart catheterization or cardiac MRI can be performed.
Most people with PVCs do not experience any issues and can live a normal lifestyle. However, 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 has difficulty pumping blood throughout your body.
Regular exercise and a balanced diet will lower your risk of developing PVCs. Avoid foods that are high in fat and sodium, and timber limit your consumption of tobacco and caffeine. Sleep and stress are equally important. Certain medications can increase your risk of PVCs. If you're taking one of these drugs it's crucial to follow your doctor's instructions about a healthy diet, window restoration company exercise and taking your medication.
Studies of patients who had an excessive 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. This can result in a need for a heart transplant in certain patients.