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How a VC Can Affect Your Heart Many people have occasional PVCs and have no issues. If they are frequent, PVCs may weaken your heart and increase your risk for heart failure. The heart's rhythm is controlled by a group of fibers that are located in the upper right-hand part of your heart. This is called the sinoatrial nerve, or SA. Electrical signals travel from there to the lower chambers of your heart, or ventricles. Causes PVCs occur when the electrical impulse that typically starts your heartbeat in a region known as the sinus node (also known as the sinoatrial node or SA node) does not. Instead, the impulse starts in a different area of your heart—the ventricles—and causes a wrongly timed beat. These extra beats are known as ventricular tachycardia, and ventricular fibrillation. It could feel as if the heart skipped a beating or feels fluttering. They may occur infrequently without causing any symptoms, but they can also happen frequently enough to affect your standard of life. Your doctor may prescribe medicine if they are frequent or cause dizziness, weakness or fatigue. For the majority of people, PVCs are harmless and do not increase the risk of heart disease or other health problems. Over time, frequent PVCs can weaken the heart muscle. This is especially the case if they are caused by a heart condition such as dilated cardiomyopathy arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, which can lead to symptomatic heart failure. PVCs can cause symptoms such as a feeling of your heart skipping one beat, or even the feeling of your heart fluttering. You might also feel breathless. The fluttering may be more apparent when you exercise, or consume certain drinks or foods. People with chronic anxiety or stress can have more PVCs and certain drugs like amiodarone digoxin and cocaine can increase the likelihood of developing them. If you are experiencing occasional PVCs, your doctor may recommend lifestyle changes and medicines. If you are prone to frequent PVCs, your doctor may suggest that you stay away from certain foods and drinks, like caffeine and alcohol. You can also lessen your stress by having enough sleep and working out. If you have many PVCs, he may recommend a medical treatment known as radiofrequency catheter ablation, which eliminates the cells that cause PVCs. This procedure is performed by a specialist, known as an electrophysiologist. The treatment is typically successful in treating PVCs, reducing symptoms but it does not stop them from becoming recurring in the future. In certain cases it can increase your risk of having atrial fibrillation (AFib) which can lead to stroke. This is rare but can be life-threatening. Symptoms Premature ventricular contracts, or PVCs can cause your heart to skip or to flutter. These extra heartbeats are generally harmless, but you should talk to your doctor if you have frequent episodes or symptoms like dizziness or weakness. The electrical signals normally begin in the sinoatrial area, which is located in the upper right corner of the heart. They then move to the lower chambers, also known as ventricles, that pump blood. The ventricles then contract to push the blood into the lung. They return to the heart's center to start the next cycle of pumping. But a PVC begins in a different location, from the bundle of fibers known as the Purkinje fibers, located in the lower left part of the heart. When PVCs occur, they cause the heart beat or feel as if it skipped the beat. If you have a few episodes and no other symptoms, the cardiologist probably won't treat you. If you have many PVCs, your doctor may recommend that you undergo an electrocardiogram (ECG) to monitor your heartbeat for 24 hours. They may also recommend wearing a Holter Monitor that records your heartbeat and tracks the number of PVCs. Anyone who has had a prior heart attack or have cardiomyopathy -which affects how the heart pumps blood should be aware of their PVCs and consult a cardiologist about lifestyle changes. This includes abstaining from alcohol, caffeine and smoking, managing stress and anxiety and ensuring adequate sleep. A cardiologist may prescribe medication to slow heartbeat, like a beta blocker. Even if you don't experience any other indications it is still recommended to have PVCs checked by a cardiologist if they happen frequently. These irregular heartbeats could point to an issue with the structure of your heart or other health conditions and, over time, when they happen frequently enough, they may weaken the heart muscle. But most people with PVCs don't have any issues. They would like to know if irregular heartbeats or fluttering is normal. Diagnosis PVCs may feel like fluttering or skipped heartbeats, especially if they are frequent or intense. double glazing doctor who experience them frequently may feel weak. They can also happen with exercising, but most athletes who experience them don't have any problems in their heart or health. PVCs can be detected on tests such as an electrocardiogram or a Holter monitor. These are sticky patches that have sensors on them to record electrical signals from your heart. A cardiologist can also perform an ultrasound echocardiogram for examining the heart. A doctor is often able to tell whether a patient has PVCs by examining them and taking their medical history. However, sometimes they will only notice them while examining the patient for other reasons, for instance following an accident or surgery. Ambulatory ECG monitors are able to detect PVCs, as well as other arrhythmias. They are able to identify cardiac problems when there is a concern. If your cardiologist concludes that your heart is structurally healthy, reassurance may be all that's needed. If your symptoms are causing you discomfort or cause you to feel anxious, staying away from alcohol, caffeine, and over the drug decongestants and the reduction of stress could help. Regular exercise, being at a healthy weight and drinking enough water can decrease the likelihood of PVCs. If your symptoms are persistent or extreme, consult your doctor about medications that could be able to control these symptoms. Treatment If PVCs don't cause symptoms or happen rarely, they usually don't need treatment. If you experience them frequently, your doctor may want to check for other heart conditions and recommend lifestyle changes or medication. You could also have a procedure to get rid of them (called radiofrequency catheter ablation). If you have PVCs the electrical signal that causes your heartbeat starts somewhere other than the sinoatrial node (SA node) located in the upper right corner of your heart. This can cause your heart to feel like it skips beats or has extra beats. It's not known what causes these, but they're more common in people who have other heart issues. PVCs can increase in frequency as you age, and may occur more frequently during exercises. If a patient has frequent and painful PVCs, a physician is required to perform an ECG and an echocardiogram to rule out heart disease that is structural. They may also perform an exercise stress test to see whether the extra beats are due to physical exercise. To determine whether there are any other causes for the extra beatings the heart catheterization or an MRI is possible. Most people with PVCs do not experience any issues and can live an ordinary life. But they can increase your risk of having dangerous heart rhythm problems especially if you are suffering from certain patterns of them. In some cases, that means that the heart muscle becomes weaker and is having difficulty pumping blood throughout your body. Regular exercise and a balanced diet will lower the risk of developing PVCs. Avoid foods that are high in sodium and fat, and limit your consumption of caffeine and tobacco. Sleep and stress are also important. Certain medicines can also increase the risk of developing PVCs. If you're taking one of these medications, it's important to follow the doctor's advice about eating well, exercising and taking your medication. Studies of patients who had a high amount of PVCs (that's more than 20 percent of their total heart beats) found that they had a higher risk of arrhythmia-induced cardiomyopathy. Certain people may require an organ transplant.