Why It's Important to See a Doctor
Premature ventricular contracts (PVCs), are a type of irregular heartbeats. These extra beats usually aren't risky, and they may disappear by themselves.
Doctors will listen to your heartbeat and look for other vitals indicators. They may order an Holter monitor which tracks your heart's electrical impulses over a period of 24 to 48 hours. They may also order blood tests for checking your thyroid hormones and electrolyte levels.
Diagnosis
PVCs happen when electrical impulses coming from the lower chambers of the heart, or ventricles, misfire through a structure known as the SA node. This delay the next heartbeat, causing the feeling of skipped beats or fluttering in the chest. PVCs can occur in one pattern or in repeated patterns. Two consecutive PVCs are referred to as doublets, whereas three or more consecutive PVCs are referred to as the term ventricular Tachycardia (VT).
Some people have no symptoms, whereas others experience heart palpitations. This can feel like an unsteady heartbeat or a slurred heartbeat. Other common symptoms are tiredness and dizziness, as well as a feeling of being unwell.
A lot of people who have occasional PVCs don't require any treatment. If someone is experiencing frequent episodes, doctors may suggest a change in diet or lifestyle, such as limiting alcohol, caffeine and stress. They may prescribe medications such as beta-blockers and calcium channel blockers to lower blood pressure and slow down the heart rate.
Doctors will ask about the person's medical history and perform a physical examination to check their general health. They may also use a Holter monitor to record the heart's rhythms for a longer period of time or an electrocardiogram which captures a picture of the electrical activity within the heart. Doctors may require blood tests in some instances to check for electrolyte imbalances or toxic effects of drugs.
window doctors near me might refer the patient to an electrophysiologist, or a specialist in heart rhythm disorders for further examination. This specialist can confirm the diagnosis of PVCs and determine whether they are benign or not.
PVCs can be found everywhere and aren't usually harmful when used frequently or for long periods of time. This can cause a weakening in the heart muscle or a condition called pvc-induced cardiomyopathy. This is more common in older people or those suffering from heart disease. It can also occur in healthy people with a normal heart, although this is more likely for those who exercise regularly. Most of the time, this isn't an issue that is serious, but it is important to speak with your doctor if you experience symptoms like fainting or fatigue.
Treatment
For many, occasional PVCs aren't likely to cause symptoms or need no treatment. But those who do experience a sensation like your heart is lagging a beat or is racing, it's crucial to see a doctor as soon as possible.
A cardiologist will interview you and perform an examination of your body by listening to your heart through a stethoscope to detect any irregular heartbeats. Additionally, you will undergo an electrocardiogram, which captures the electrical impulses of your heart, allowing you to identify any arrhythmias. If an arrhythmia has been discovered, an portable ECG or 24-hour Holter monitor is required to capture the abnormal rhythm for longer periods of time. These devices can help doctors determine whether you have PVCs and the reason for them which could be due to an imbalance in electrolytes, toxicity of drugs or other factors.
An echocardiogram, an ultrasound of your heart, can be ordered to determine whether your heart is healthy and look for any indications of structural issues which could cause PVCs. You might also have a stress test to check how your heart responds to physical activity 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 and can cause the development of PVCs.
Once your doctor has confirmed that you have PVCs and has ruled out any serious diseases, the decision of how to treat them will be contingent on how much they're impacting your life and how often they occur. If they only occur occasionally and do not cause any symptoms then your doctor is unlikely to recommend any treatment that can reduce their frequency or severity.
If you have frequent PVCs that can trigger heart palpitations, or other symptoms like feeling lightheaded or fainting, your physician may prescribe medications such as beta blockers and calcium channel blockers. Making changes to your lifestyle in order to stay clear of triggers, such as caffeine, smoking and excessive stress, can also help lower the number of times you experience these unusual pulses.
Prevention
PVCs can cause no symptoms or heart palpitations which can feel like "skipped beats" or flutters in your chest. Sometimes, these episodes can cause a fullness or pressure in the chest. Other times they can cause a person to feel faint. These episodes occur because the heart is not functioning as efficiently as it should. PVCs are associated with a higher risk of dilated cardiomyopathy. This is a condition where the heart expands and becomes unable to pump blood.
PVCs are often caused by changes in body chemistry. They can be caused by the release of thyroid and adrenaline hormones, and drinking alcohol or caffeine. A lack of exercise can trigger these symptoms like stress or excessive weight.
Some people can find that a change in diet helps reduce their PVCs. For example, they can avoid foods which contain preservatives that could cause disturbances in the heart rhythm, such as disodium guanylate (E621) disodium inosinate (E627) and diazole sodium (E282-283). Eat more fruits and vegetables to ensure that you get sufficient magnesium.
It is important to get regular health checks, including annual physicals and lab tests. These tests can help diagnose any heart issues that could cause your PVCs. Also, you should not smoke and adhere to a healthy diet program. This can increase your frequency of episodes.
A survey of 14 normal hospital wards showed that healthcare workers were generally aware of preventive measures against infections caused by vascular catheters, however their self-assessed conformity to these guidelines was low. Compliance improved after an intervention to improve feedback however, it was still low on a few of the wards that were surveyed. This suggests that education on how to implement preventive measures is necessary and that 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 could involve more education and training for personnel. It will also mean making sure that the correct materials are available for the implementation of preventive measures.
Symptoms
Involuntary ventricular contractions that are premature can cause your heartbeat to skip or to flutter. These arrhythmias could be harmless, but they could indicate you are suffering from serious heart issues.
In healthy individuals, occasional PVCs aren't a problem and they usually go away on their own. If you've got many of them, it can cause dizziness or weakness. Speak to your doctor if worried. They may need to determine the issue by taking an medical history and conducting a physical exam. They might also need to perform an electrocardiogram or other tests.
An ECG is a quick test that will allow your doctor to see the signal from your heartbeat as it moves through your heart in an extremely short period of duration. The test will show whether you have PVCs. Your doctor may also decide to conduct a 24- or 48-hour Holter monitor which monitors your heartbeat for longer durations of time. This can help distinguish PVCs from other types of arrhythmias that cause heart palpitations. You could also wear a portable device that records your heart rhythm over 30 days, called an event monitor.
Other tests for your heart might be required, depending on the reason for your PVCs. A cardiologist will test your blood pressure or perform an echocardiogram (ultrasound of the heart). These tests will determine whether you have a condition like heart failure, mitral valve prolapse, or cardiomyopathy.
Your doctor may also have to do an analysis of your blood to determine what the problem is with your electrolytes, such as low potassium or high levels of calcium. This could be an indication of PVCs or other conditions that could cause them, such as anemia and anxiety disorders.
You could be referred to an electrophysiologist a specialist who specializes in treating irregular heart rhythms. If you suffer from structural heart disease the specialist may have to conduct additional tests, such as an MRI or CT scan of your chest. These tests will tell you if you have damage to your heart and how serious it is. In certain cases doctors may suggest pacemakers to treat the issue which is causing the PVCs.