Why It's Important to See a Doctor
Premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) are a kind of irregular heartbeat. These extra beats are typically not dangerous and can go away by themselves.
To diagnose PVC, doctors will listen to your heartbeat and look for other vital indicators. They might order an Holter monitor which records the electrical impulses your heart produces over a period of 24 to 48 hours. They can also order blood tests to determine your thyroid hormones and electrolyte levels.
Diagnosis
PVCs are caused by electrical impulses which misfire through the SA node, which is a structure located in the lower chambers of the heart. This causes the next heartbeat to delay, which can cause a feeling like the heart is fluttering or skips beats. PVCs can occur in one pattern or in repeated patterns. Two consecutive PVCs are known as doublets, while three or more consecutive PVCs constitute the term ventricular tachycardia (VT).
Some people are not experiencing any symptoms, but others experience heart palpitations. This can feel like an unsteady heartbeat or a skipping heartbeat. Other symptoms that are common are fatigue and dizziness, as well as a feeling of being sick.
Many people who experience occasional PVCs don't require any treatment. If a person experiences frequent episodes, doctors might suggest a change to the way of life or diet like limiting alcohol, caffeine and stress. They may also prescribe medications such as calcium channel blockers or beta-blockers which can lower the heart rate and lower blood pressure.
Doctors will inquire about the patient's medical history and perform a physical examination to determine their general health. They can also employ a Holter monitor to track the heart's rhythms over a longer period of time, or an electrocardiogram, which captures a picture of the electrical activity in the heart. In some cases doctors may request blood tests to check for an electrolyte imbalance or drug toxicity.
Sometimes, a pvc physician will refer someone to a specialist for heart rhythm issues, or an electrophysiologist, for further evaluation. The doctor will confirm a diagnosis of PVCs, and determine whether they are benign or malignant.
PVCs are frequent and usually don't cause any problems unless they occur frequently over a long time. This could lead to a weakening of the heart muscle, or a condition known as pvc-induced cardiomyopathy. It is more prevalent in older adults or those with heart disease. It can also happen in healthy people with normal heart function, but this is more likely in those who exercise regularly. This is not a serious problem, but it is important to inform your doctor if symptoms such as fatigue or fainting occur.
Treatment
For many, occasional PVCs aren't likely to cause symptoms or require no treatment. If you feel like your heart is racing or slurring an entire beat, you need to consult a doctor immediately.
A cardiologist will interview you and then perform a physical examination by listening to your heart with an stethoscope to identify any irregular beats. Additionally, you will undergo an electrocardiogram, which records the electrical impulses of your heart to determine any arrhythmias. If an arrhythmia is detected then the use of a portable ECG or 24-hour Holter monitor is required to record the abnormal rhythm for longer periods of time. These devices can help doctors determine whether you have PVCs and the cause of them, like an electrolyte imbalance, a drug toxicity, or other factors.
You might be asked to undergo an echocardiogram (an ultrasound of your heart) to determine the health of your heart is in good order and to look for structural problems that could cause PVCs. You could also be asked to take an exercise test to find out how your heart reacts to exercise. Exercise can increase the frequency of PVCs. You can also get blood tests to test your thyroid hormone and magnesium, potassium and other hormones to determine whether they're low. This can lead to PVCs.
After your doctor confirms that you have PVCs and has ruled any serious illnesses out, the treatment you choose to take will depend on how they affect your life and the frequency they occur. If they happen only on occasion and don't trigger any symptoms, it's unlikely that your doctor will prescribe any medication to reduce their frequency or severity.
If you are experiencing frequent PVCs that cause palpitations or other symptoms like feeling lightheaded or fainting, your physician might prescribe medications like beta blockers and calcium channel blockers. Changing your lifestyle to avoid triggers, like smoking, caffeine, and excessive stress, can aid in reducing the frequency of occurrences of these irregular pulses.
Prevention
There are people who do not experience symptoms at all from PVCs or heart palpitations (irregular heartbeats) which can be felt as "skipped" beats or a fluttering sensation in the chest. These episodes can trigger a feeling of pressure or fullness or make you feel faint. These episodes are caused by the heart not pumping as well as it should. Regular PVCs increase a person's risk of developing dilated Cardiomyopathy, a condition in which the heart enlarges and is unable to pump blood.
PVCs are usually caused by changes in body chemistry. This includes the release of adrenaline and thyroid hormones, in addition to drinking alcohol or caffeine. Stress or weight gain or an insufficient amount of exercise can trigger these episodes.
Certain people find that altering their diet can help reduce PVCs. For instance, they could avoid foods which contain preservatives that could cause a disturbance to the heart rhythm, such as disodium guanylate (E621), disodium inosinate (E627) diazole sodium (E282-283). You can also eat more vegetables and fruits to ensure they are getting enough potassium and magnesium.
Regular health checks are essential, including yearly physicals. These tests can help identify any heart conditions that may be causing your PVCs. You should also follow an appropriate diet and avoid smoking, which could increase the frequency of your episodes.
A survey of 14 normal hospital wards revealed that healthcare workers were generally aware of preventive measures to avoid infections caused by vascular catheters, however their self-assessment of compliance to these guidelines was low. After a feedback intervention that improved compliance on certain wards, but it was still not as high. This suggests that education on how to implement the preventive measures is necessary and that the wards that are not complying should be targeted for infection surveillance. These data can be used to inform quality improvement initiatives in these wards. This will likely require additional education and training of staff. It will also mean making sure that the correct materials are available for the implementation of the preventive measures.
window doctor near me and symptoms
If you feel like your heart is skipping beats or fluttering, it could be due to premature ventricular contractions. These arrhythmias aren't necessarily dangerous or they could be the sign of heart problems.
In healthy individuals, occasional PVCs aren't an issue and they usually disappear by themselves. If you have many of them, they can cause dizziness or weakening. Speak to your doctor if worried. They may need to determine the problem by taking a medical history and conducting an examination. 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 observe the signal generated by your heartbeat moving through your heart for a short period of time. If you have PVCs, they will show in the test. Your doctor might also want to perform an overnight or 24-hour Holter monitor which monitors your heartbeat for longer periods of time. These tests can help differentiate PVCs from arrhythmias causing heart palpitations. You could also wear a portable device that can record your heart's rhythm over a period of 30 days, referred to as an event monitor.
Other tests for your heart might be required, based on the cause of your PVCs. A cardiologist can check your blood pressure, or perform an echocardiogram (ultrasound of the heart). These can help find whether you suffer from a condition that is responsible for your PVCs like mitral valve prolapse, cardiomyopathy or heart failure.
Your doctor may also have to do an analysis of your blood to determine what's wrong with your electrolytes such as low potassium or high levels of calcium. This could indicate that you have PVCs or a different condition such as anemia or anxiety disorders.
You may be referred a specialist in electrophysiology, who treats abnormal heart rhythms. If you suffer from structural heart disease the specialist may have to do other tests, such as an MRI or CT scan of your chest. These tests can determine whether your heart is damaged and how severe it is. In some cases an expert may recommend pacemakers to treat the condition that is causing the PVCs.