Why It's Important to See a Doctor
Premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) are a type of irregular heartbeat. These extra beats are typically not dangerous and may disappear on their own.
Doctors will listen to your heartbeat and look for other vitals signs. They might recommend a Holter monitor which tracks your heart's electrical impulses over 24-48 hours. They can also order blood tests to check your electrolyte levels and thyroid hormones.
Diagnosis
PVCs happen when electrical impulses coming from the lower chambers of the heart ventricles misfire through a structure known as the SA node. This delay the next heartbeat and causes a feeling of fluttering or skipped beats in the chest. PVCs can be seen in one pattern or repeated patterns. Two consecutive PVCs are referred to as doublets, whereas three or more consecutive PVCs constitute ventricular Tachycardia (VT).
Some people do not experience any symptoms, but others experience palpitations. This can feel like an unsteady heartbeat or a slurred heartbeat. Other typical symptoms include fatigue or dizziness, or a feeling of being unwell.
Many people with occasional PVCs don't require any treatment. If a person experiences frequent episodes, doctors may recommend a change in lifestyle or diet including a reduction in alcohol, caffeine and stress. They can also prescribe medications such as calcium channel blockers or beta-blockers, which can slow the heart rate and lower blood pressure.
Doctors will ask about the patient's medical history and conduct a physical exam to determine their general health. They may also utilize a Holter monitor to track the heart's rhythms over longer periods of time, or an electrocardiogram, which records a snapshot of the electrical activity in the heart. Doctors may request blood tests in some instances to determine if there are electrolyte imbalances or toxic substances in the body.
A pvc doctor may refer a patient to an electrophysiologist or specialist in heart rhythm disorders for further evaluation. The doctor can confirm the diagnosis of PVCs, and determine whether they are malignant or benign.
PVCs are all over the place and aren't usually harmful unless they are used frequently or for long periods of time. This can lead to a weakened in the heart muscle, or a condition known as pvc-induced cardiomyopathy. This is more common in older adults or those with heart disease. It can also occur in healthy people with an uninvolved heart, however this is more likely in those who exercise regularly. It is not a major issue, but you should tell your doctor if symptoms like fatigue or fainting occur.
Treatment
For many people, occasional PVCs aren't likely to cause symptoms or are harmless and need no treatment. If you feel that your heart is racing or skipping an entire beat, you need to seek out a physician immediately.
A cardiologist will begin by interviewing you and performing a a physical exam, monitoring your heart using a stethoscope for any irregular beats. You will also undergo an electrocardiogram that captures the electrical impulses of your heart to determine any arrhythmias. If an arrhythmia is found, you will require a 24-hour Holter monitor or a portable ECG will be required to detect the irregular rhythm over longer durations of time. These devices can help doctors determine if you suffer from PVCs and the reason for them, such as an imbalance in electrolytes, drug toxicity or other causes.
An echocardiogram, also known as an ultrasound of your heart, may be ordered to assess whether your heart is in good health and check for indications of structural issues which could cause PVCs. You could also be asked to take stress tests to find out the response of your heart to exercise. Exercise can increase your frequency of pvcs. You may also undergo blood tests to determine your thyroid, potassium, and magnesium hormone levels to find out whether they are insufficient, which can contribute to the development of PVCs.
After your doctor has determined that you suffer from PVCs and has eliminated any serious illness, the decision on how to treat them will depend on the extent to which they impact your life and how frequently they occur. If they occur only occasionally and do not cause any symptoms the doctor is not likely to recommend any treatment that will decrease their frequency or severity.
If you are experiencing frequent PVCs that can trigger pulses or other symptoms, like feeling lightheaded or fainting, your doctor may prescribe medication such as beta blockers and calcium channel blockers. Changes in lifestyle, such as avoiding caffeine, smoking and stress, can also decrease the frequency of these irregular pulses.
The following is a list of preventatives.
PVCs can cause no symptoms or heart palpitations which may be described as "skipped beats" or flutters in the chest. Sometimes, these episodes can cause an increase in pressure or fullness in the chest, and at other times they can make someone feel faint. These episodes are caused by the heart is not pumping as effectively as normal. PVCs are associated with an increased chance of developing dilated cardiomyopathy. This is a condition where the heart becomes enlarged and unable to pump blood.
PVCs are usually caused by changes in the body's chemical balance. These include the release of adrenaline and thyroid hormones, in addition to drinking alcohol or caffeine. A lack of exercise can trigger these symptoms, as can stress or excess weight.
Some people can find that a change in their diet helps to reduce their PVCs. For instance, they could avoid foods that contain preservatives that can cause disturbances in the heart rhythm, such as disodium guanylate (E621), disodium inosinate (E627), and diazole sodium (E282-283). Consume more fruits and vegetables to get sufficient magnesium.
It is crucial to undergo regular health check-ups, which include annual physicals and lab tests. These tests can help identify any heart-related conditions that could be causing your PVCs. You should also avoid smoking and follow the healthy eating plan. This can increase the frequency of episodes.
A survey of healthcare workers on 14 normal hospital wards showed that they were generally aware of the preventive measures to avoid vascular catheter-associated infections, but that their self-assessed compliance with these guidelines was not great. Compliance improved after a feedback intervention however, it was still low on a few of the wards surveyed. This suggests that education on how to implement the preventive measures is essential and that wards which are less compliant should be targeted for infection surveillance. This information could be used to help in the implementation of quality improvement initiatives on these wards. It is likely that this will require further education and training for personnel. It will also mean making sure that the right tools are available for implementation of preventive measures.
Signs and symptoms
The premature contraction of the ventricular muscle can cause your heartbeat to skip beats or be fluttering. These arrhythmias could be harmless, or they could indicate that you are suffering from serious heart issues.
In healthy people, PVCs that occur occasionally are not a problem. They generally disappear by themselves. If you've got a lot of them, they can cause dizziness or weakening. Speak to your doctor if you're worried. You might need to provide your medical history and they might also perform a physical examination in order to identify the issue. They'll also probably want to perform an electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) or other tests.
A quick ECG test will allow your doctor to observe the signal of your heartbeat moving through your body for a the course of a brief period. The test will determine whether you have PVCs. Your doctor might also suggest a Holter monitor that tracks your heartbeat for a longer period of time. These tests can help distinguish PVCs from arrhythmias that cause heart palpitations. You can also wear an event monitor, a portable device which records your heart rhythm for 30 days.
Other tests for the heart may be needed, depending on the reason for your PVCs. For example an cardiologist may test your blood pressure and perform an ultrasound of your heart (echocardiogram). These tests will determine if you suffer from an illness like heart failure or mitral valve prolapse or cardiomyopathy.
Your doctor may also have to run a blood test to see what's wrong with your electrolytes, for example, low potassium levels or high levels of calcium. This can be a sign of PVCs or other conditions that could cause them, such as anxiety disorders and anemia.
You may be directed to an electrophysiologist, an expert who specializes in treating heart rhythms that are abnormal. This specialist may need to perform other tests if you suffer from heart problems that are structural, such as an CT or MRI scan of your chest. window doctor can tell whether you've suffered damage to your heart, and how serious it is. In certain cases, a specialist may recommend a pacemaker to treat the condition that causes the PVCs.