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How a VC Can Affect Your Heart PVCs are common and can be experienced by a wide range of people without causing any issues. If they happen frequently, PVCs may weaken your heart and increase the 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 your heart rhythm. Electrical signals travel to the lower heart chambers or ventricles. Causes PVCs are caused by the electrical impulse that normally starts your heartbeat at the Sinus Node (also called the Sinoatrial or SA node) is not initiated. Instead, the impulse begins in a different part of your heart called the ventricles and triggers a mistimed beat. These extra beats, also called ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation, can feel like your heart skipped a beat or feels fluttering. They can happen infrequently and not cause any symptoms, or they may occur frequently enough to affect your daily life. Your doctor might prescribe medication in the event that they are frequent or cause dizziness, weakness or fatigue. PVCs are generally safe and do not increase your risk of heart disease. Frequent PVCs, however, can weaken the heart muscle over time. This is particularly the case if they are caused by a heart disease such as dilated cardiomyopathy or arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, which can lead to symptomatic heart failure. PVCs can trigger symptoms, such as a sensation of your heart skipping an beat, or fluttering. You might also feel breathless. The fluttering could be more apparent when you exercise or have certain foods or drinks. PVCs are more common in those suffering from chronic anxiety or stress. Certain medications, like digoxin, amiodarone or cocaine, may increase their risk. If you are experiencing occasional PVCs your doctor might suggest lifestyle changes and medication. If they are a regular occurrence, you may have to avoid some drinks and foods like alcohol and caffeine. You can also take steps to reduce your stress and get plenty of sleep and exercise. If you've got a lot of PVCs Your doctor might suggest a medical procedure called radiofrequency catheter ablation, which eliminates the cells responsible for them. This is done by a specialist known as an electrophysiologist. It is usually effective in treating PVCs and reducing symptoms but it doesn't stop them from recurring in the future. In some cases, it can increase the risk of developing atrial fibrillation (AFib) which can cause stroke. This is rare, but it can be life-threatening. Signs and symptoms Premature ventricular contractions, also known as PVCs, can make your heart appear to skip or flutter a beat. These extra heartbeats are generally harmless, but you should talk to your doctor if you have frequent episodes or other symptoms such as dizziness or weakness. Normaly, electrical signals begin in the sinoatrial area, which is located in the upper right-hand part of the heart. They then move to the lower chambers, or ventricles, which pump blood. The ventricles then contract to propel the blood into your lungs and then return to your heart to begin the next cycle of pumping. A PVC starts at a different spot in the Purkinje fibres bundle in the left-hand side of the heart. When PVCs occur, they can make the heart beat faster or feel like it skipped a beat. If you experience a few episodes and no other symptoms, the doctor probably won't be able to treat you. However, if you have large number of PVCs the doctor may suggest an electrocardiogram, or ECG to determine your heart rate over the course of 24 hours. The doctor might also recommend wearing a Holter monitor that will track the heart's rhythm over time to determine the number of PVCs you have. Anyone who has suffered an earlier heart attack or cardiomyopathy, an illness that affects the heart's blood flow – should take their PVCs seriously and consult an expert in cardiology about lifestyle modifications. These include avoiding caffeine, alcohol and smoking, managing anxiety and stress, and getting enough rest. A cardiologist may prescribe beta blockers to slow down the heartbeat. If you have frequent PVCs even if you do not have other symptoms, you should consult an expert in cardiology. These irregular heartbeats could signal a problem with the structure of your lungs or heart, and if they happen often enough, they can weaken your heart muscle. However, most people with PVCs don't have any issues. They simply want to be aware that the fluttering or skippy heartbeats aren't typical. Diagnosis PVCs can feel like fluttering or skipped heartbeats, especially if they are frequent or intense. People who get lots of them might feel like they're going to faint. They can also occur during exercising, but most athletes who get them don't have any problems with their health or heart. PVCs may show up in tests like an electrocardiogram, or Holter monitor. window doctor near me use sticky patches with sensors on them to record electrical signals from your heart. A cardiologist could also employ an echocardiogram, which makes use of ultrasound to examine the heart and observe how it's functioning. A doctor may be able to identify if a person is suffering from PVCs from a history and physical exam. Sometimes, however, they may not be aware of PVCs until they examine the patient for another reason, like following an accident or surgical procedure. Ambulatory ECG monitors can detect PVCs as well as other arrhythmias. They are able to detect heart disease in the event of any reason to be concerned. If your cardiologist concludes that your heart is structurally healthy, reassurance might be all you need. However, if your symptoms are troubling or make you feel anxious, avoiding alcohol, caffeine, and other decongestants and reducing stress may help. Regular exercise, being at a healthy weight, and drinking enough water can also help reduce the frequency of PVCs. If your symptoms persist or extreme, consult your physician about the medications that could be able to reduce these symptoms. Treatment If PVCs do not cause any symptoms or occur rarely, they usually don't need treatment. If you have them often or frequently, your doctor may wish to check for other heart issues and suggest lifestyle changes or medicine. You could also have an operation (called radiofrequency cathode ablation) to eliminate of them. When you have PVCs The electrical signal that triggers your heartbeat begins somewhere different than the sinoatrial nerve (SA node) in the top 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 symptoms, but they're common in people who have other heart problems. PVCs may increase in frequency as you age, and they could be more frequent during exercise. If a patient is experiencing frequent and painful PVCs doctors should perform an ECG and an echocardiogram to rule out structural heart disease. The doctor may also conduct an exercise stress test to determine if the increased heartbeats are related to physical exercise. A heart catheterization, cardiac MRI or nuclear perfusion studies can be performed to find other causes of the increased beats. Most people who suffer from PVCs have no complications and live the normal life. 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, this means that the heart muscle becomes weaker and has difficulty pumping blood throughout the body. Regular exercise and a healthy diet can lower the risk of developing PVCs. Avoid foods high in fat and sodium, and limit your intake of tobacco and caffeine. Sleep and stress are equally crucial. Some medicines can also increase your risk of PVCs. So if you take 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 an excessive amount of PVCs (that's more than 20% of their total heart beats) found that they had a higher incidence of arrhythmia-induced cardiomyopathy. This can lead to the need for a transplant in some individuals.