Why It's Important to See a Doctor
Premature ventricular contracts (PVCs), are a type of irregular heartbeats. These extra beats are typically not dangerous and can go away by themselves.
Doctors will monitor your heartbeat and also check other vital indicators. They may order an Holter monitor, a device that tracks your heart's electrical impulses over 24-48 hours. They may also request blood tests to assess your electrolyte levels and thyroid hormones.
Diagnosis
PVCs happen when electrical impulses from the lower chambers of the heart, or ventricles, misfire through a structure referred to as the SA node. This delays the next heartbeat which can cause an experience of fluttering or skipped beats in the chest. PVCs can be seen in one pattern or repeated patterns. Two consecutive PVCs are known as doublets, while three or more consecutive PVCs constitute the condition known as ventricular Tachycardia (VT).
While some people don't show any symptoms at all Some experience palpitations, which could feel like the heart beating faster or slower. Other common symptoms are tiredness or dizziness, or a feeling of being unwell.
Many people who suffer from occasional PVCs don't need any treatment. If a person has frequent episodes, doctors could suggest a change in lifestyle or diet like limiting alcohol, caffeine and stress. They may also prescribe medications like beta-blockers or calcium channel blockers which can lower the heart rate and lower blood pressure.
Doctors will ask the patient about their medical history and conduct an examination of the body to assess their general health. They can also employ a Holter monitor to record the heart's rhythms over longer durations or an electrocardiogram which takes a snapshot at the electrical activity of the heart. In some cases doctors may request blood tests to determine if there is an electrolyte imbalance or toxic effects from drugs.
A pvc doctor might refer a patient to an electrophysiologist or specialist in heart rhythm disorders for further examination. This doctor can confirm the diagnosis of PVCs and determine whether they are benign or not.
PVCs are quite common and rarely cause any problems unless they happen frequently over a long period of time. This can lead to a weakening of the heart muscle or a condition known as pvc-induced cardiomyopathy. This is more common in older adults or people suffering from heart disease. It can also occur to healthy individuals with normal, normal hearts. However, it's more prevalent among those who exercise regularly. It's not an issue to worry about, but it is important to tell your doctor if you experience symptoms such as fainting or fatigue.
Treatment
For many, occasional PVCs might not cause symptoms or are harmless and need no treatment. But, for those who do feel your heart is lagging a beat or is racing, it's vital to see a doctor as soon as you can.
A cardiologist will interview you and then perform a physical examination and listen to your heart with an stethoscope to identify any irregular heartbeats. You'll also get an electrocardiogram (ECG) performed that records the electrical signals in your heart and identify any arrhythmias. If an arrhythmia is identified, the use of a portable ECG or a 24-hour Holter monitor is required to document the abnormal rhythm for longer durations of time. These devices can assist doctors determine if you have PVCs, and their cause like an imbalance in electrolytes, drug toxicity or other causes.
You may be required to undergo an echocardiogram (an ultrasound of your heart) to determine if your heart health is in good shape and to check for structural problems that could cause PVCs. You may also undergo a stress test to check how your heart reacts to exercise, since physical exercise can increase the frequency of your PVCs. You can also have blood tests to determine your thyroid, potassium, and magnesium hormone levels to find out whether they are insufficient which could contribute to the development of PVCs.
After your doctor has confirmed that you're suffering from PVCs and has ruled out any serious diseases, the decision of whether or not to treat them will be contingent on how much they're impacting your life and how frequently they occur. If they only occur occasionally and do not cause symptoms, your doctor is unlikely to prescribe any medication that will reduce their frequency or severity.
If, however, you suffer from frequent PVCs that do cause the sensation of palpitations or other symptoms, such as light-headedness or feeling like you're about to faint, your physician may suggest medications like beta blockers or calcium channel blockers. Making changes to your lifestyle in order to avoid triggers, such as caffeine, smoking and excessive stress, can also aid in reducing the frequency of occurrences of these abnormal pulses.
Prevention
There are people who do not experience symptoms at all from PVCs or experience heart palpitations (irregular heartbeats) that may be felt as "skipped" beats or a fluttering sensation in the chest. These episodes can cause an feeling of pressure or fullness or they can make you feel faint. These episodes occur because the heart isn't pumping as effectively as normal. Regular PVCs increase the risk of developing dilated cardiomyopathy. a condition in which the heart enlarges and becomes ineffective at pump blood.
PVCs are often caused by changes in the body's chemical balance. These include the release of thyroid and adrenaline hormones, in addition to drinking alcohol or caffeine. Stress or weight gain, as well as the absence of exercise can trigger these episodes.
Some people have found that a change in their diet helps to reduce their PVCs. They can, for example avoid foods that are preservative-laden, which can disrupt the heart rhythm. window doctors include disodium Guanylate, diazole, and disodium inosinate sodium (E282-283). They can also take in more fruits and vegetables to ensure they're getting sufficient magnesium and potassium.
Regular health checks are crucial and include annual physicals. These tests can help identify any heart conditions that may be causing your PVCs. Also, you should adhere to an appropriate diet and avoid smoking, which can increase the frequency of your episodes.
A survey of 14 regular hospital wards revealed that healthcare staff were generally aware of preventive measures for infections caused by vascular catheters, however their self-assessment of compliance to these procedures was not high. After a feedback program that improved compliance on certain areas, but was still very low. This suggests that training on how to implement preventive measures is necessary, and that those areas that are not as well-adjusted should be targeted for infection surveillance. This information can then be used to guide the implementation of further quality improvement initiatives on these wards. It is likely that this will require additional education and training of staff. It will also mean making sure that the right tools are available for implementation of the preventive measures.
Symptoms
If you feel your heart is skipping beats or fluttering, it could be due to premature ventricular contractions. These arrhythmias can be normal, or they could indicate that you have heart issues that are serious.
In healthy people, occasional PVCs aren't an issue and they usually disappear by themselves. If you've got a lot of them, it could cause dizziness or weakness. If you're worried you might be experiencing dizziness or weakness, talk to your doctor about the symptoms. You might be required to provide an medical history, and they may also conduct an examination of the body to diagnose the problem. They may also do an electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) or other tests.
An ECG is a test that's quick that lets your health care provider see the signal from your heartbeat as it travels through your heart for an extremely short period of period of time. If you have PVCs, they'll show up on the test. Your doctor may also suggest the use of a Holter monitor that records your heartbeat for a longer period of time. They can help distinguish PVCs from other types of arrhythmias that cause heart palpitations. You could also wear a portable device that records your heart rate over a period of 30 days, referred to as an event monitor.
Other heart tests may be required, depending on the reason behind your PVCs. For example an cardiologist may test your blood pressure, and also perform an ultrasound of the heart (echocardiogram). These tests can determine if you suffer from a condition such as heart failure, mitral valve prolapse, or cardiomyopathy.
Your doctor may also have to perform a blood test to determine the problem with electrolytes. For instance, you may have low potassium levels or high levels of calcium. This can be a sign of PVCs or other conditions that could cause them, including anxiety disorders and anemia.
You may be referred to an electrophysiologist who can treat irregular heart rhythms. The specialist might need to perform other tests if you have structural heart diseases like an CT or MRI scan of your chest. These tests can determine if your heart is damaged and how severe it is. In certain cases, a specialist may recommend pacemakers to treat the condition that causes the PVCs.