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How a VC Can Affect Your Heart PVCs are commonplace and can be experienced by a variety of people without causing any problems. If they are frequent, PVCs may weaken your heart and increase your risk of heart failure. The heart's rhythm is usually controlled by a group of fibers located in the upper right corner of your heart. This is called the sinoatrial node, or SA. Electrical signals travel from there to the lower heart chambers, or ventricles. Causes PVCs are caused when the electrical impulse that normally begins your heartbeat in a part known as the sinus node (also called the sinoatrial or SA node) isn't. Instead, the impulse starts in another area of your heart—the ventricles—and causes a mistimed beat. These extra beats are called ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation. They may feel like the heart skipped a beat or feels fluttering. They may occur infrequently, causing no symptoms, but they could be frequent enough to affect your quality of life. Your doctor may prescribe medicine in the event that they are frequent or cause dizziness, weakness or fatigue. For most people, PVCs are harmless and do not increase the risk of developing heart disease or other health problems. Frequent PVCs, however, can weaken the heart muscle over time. This is especially relevant if the PVCs are caused by conditions like dilated cardiomyopathy and arrhythmogenic right-ventricular cardiomyopathy, which could lead to heart failure. PVCs can cause symptoms like a feeling of your heart beating a beat, or fluttering. You might also feel breathless. The fluttering can be more noticeable when you exercise or have certain foods or drinks. People with chronic stress or anxiety can have more PVCs and certain medications like amiodarone digoxin and cocaine can increase the risk of developing them. If you are experiencing occasional PVCs your doctor may recommend lifestyle changes and medications. If you have frequent PVCs, your doctor might recommend that you avoid certain drinks and foods, such as caffeine and alcohol. You can also lessen stress by getting enough sleep and exercising. If you're experiencing many PVCs, he may suggest a medical procedure called radiofrequency catheter ablation. It destroys the cells that are responsible for PVCs. Electrophysiologists are the ones who execute this procedure. The treatment is usually effective in treating PVCs and reducing symptoms, but it does not stop them from recurring in the future. In certain cases, it may increase the risk of atrial fibrillation (AFib) which is a condition that can cause stroke. It is not common, but it could be life-threatening. Repair My Windows And Doors and symptoms Premature ventricular contractions or PVCs, may make your heart appear to flutter or skip the beat. These heartbeats can be harmless, however, you should consult your physician when you experience frequent episodes or signs like dizziness or weakness. The normal electrical signals start in the sinoatrial, located in the upper right corner of the heart. They then move to the lower chambers, or ventricles, which pump blood. The ventricles then expand to push blood into the lungs, and then return to your heart to begin the next cycle of pumping. But a PVC starts in a different location, from the bundle of fibers called the Purkinje fibers in the lower left part of the heart. When PVCs occur they can make the heart appear to be racing or pounding. If you've experienced only a few episodes, but no other symptoms, the cardiologist probably won't treat you. If you've got a large number of PVCs, the doctor may recommend an electrocardiogram, or ECG to determine the heart's rate over the course of 24 hours. The doctor might also recommend wearing a Holter monitor, which will record your heartbeat over time to determine how many PVCs you have. Anyone who has suffered previously from a heart attack or cardiomyopathy – a condition which affects the way the heart pumps blood – should take their PVCs seriously and consult a cardiologist regarding lifestyle modifications. Those include avoiding caffeine, alcohol and smoking, managing stress and anxiety and getting enough sleep. A cardiologist can prescribe beta blockers to slow down the heartbeat. Even if you don't experience any other symptoms, you should still get PVCs checked by an expert in cardiology if they occur frequently. These heartbeats that are irregular can indicate problems with the structure of your heart or to other health conditions and, over time, if they occur often enough, they can weaken the heart muscle. However, most people with PVCs don't experience any problems. They simply want to know that the fluttering or racing heartbeats aren't normal. Diagnosis PVCs can feel like heartbeats that are fluttering, especially if they are frequent and intense. People who experience a lot of them might feel like they're about to faint. Exercise can cause them, but most athletes who suffer from them do not have heart or health problems. PVCs can be detected on tests such as an electrocardiogram or Holter monitor. They have sensors that record electrical impulses from your heart. A cardiologist might also use an echocardiogram, which makes use of ultrasound to examine the heart and see how it's functioning. A doctor will usually be able to determine whether a patient has PVCs by looking at them and taking a medical history. Sometimes, they may only notice them while examining the patient for other reasons, for instance after a surgery or accident. Ambulatory ECG monitors are able to detect PVCs, as well as other arrhythmias. They are able to detect cardiac disease when there is a concern. If your cardiologist has determined that your heart is structurally healthy, reassurance may be all you need. If your symptoms are causing you discomfort or cause you to feel anxious, avoiding alcohol, caffeine and over-the prescription decongestants, as well as decreasing stress can help. Regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight and drinking enough fluids can all help to reduce the frequency of PVCs. If the symptoms persist or are severe, talk with your physician about possible medication options to treat them. Treatment If PVCs don't cause symptoms or are not frequent, they usually don't need treatment. If you experience them frequently, your doctor may want to look for any other heart problems and recommend lifestyle changes or medication. You could also have a procedure to get rid of them (called radiofrequency catheter ablation). When you have PVCs the electrical signal that triggers your heartbeat is generated from a place other than the sinoatrial node (SA node) in the top right side of your heart. This can cause your heart to feel like it skips beats or has additional beats. It's not clear what causes these, but they're more frequent in those with other heart issues. PVCs may increase in frequency as you age, and they could be more frequent during exercises. A physician should perform an ECG and an echocardiogram on a patient who has frequent and painful PVCs to determine if there are structural heart problems. They should also conduct an exercise stress test to determine whether the additional beats are caused by physical activity. A heart catheterization or cardiac MRI or nuclear perfusion study can be performed to find other causes of the increased beats. The majority of people who suffer from PVCs do not have any issues and can live a normal life. They could increase the risk of heart rhythm disorders that can be dangerous particularly if they happen in certain patterns. In some instances, this means that the heart muscle gets weaker and is unable to pump blood throughout your body. A healthy, regular diet and a lot of exercise can help reduce your risk of developing PVCs. Avoid foods that are high in sodium and fat, and limit your intake of caffeine and tobacco. Also, you should try to get enough rest and reduce stress. Some medicines can also increase the risk of developing PVCs. If you are taking any of these medications it is essential to follow your doctor's advice about eating healthy exercising, as well as taking your medication. In studies of patients with high PVC burdens (more than 20% of heartbeats) there was a higher incidence of arrhythmia-induced cardiac myopathy was found. This could lead to the need for a heart transplant in certain individuals.