Why It's Important to See a Doctor
Premature ventricular contracts (PVCs) are a kind of irregular heartbeat. These extra beats are typically not dangerous and can go away by themselves.
Doctors will monitor your heartbeat and look for other vital indicators. They might order a Holter Monitor which captures the electrical impulses of your heart over a period of 24 to 48 hours. They can also request blood tests to check your thyroid hormones and electrolyte levels.
Diagnosis
PVCs are caused by electrical impulses from the heart's lower chambers ventricles, or lower chambers, fail to pass through a structure known as the SA node. This causes the next heartbeat to be delayed, causing the sensation of fluttering or skipped beats. PVCs can occur in a single pattern or in repeated patterns. Two consecutive PVCs are referred to as doublets. Three or more consecutive PVCs are referred to as the term ventricular tachycardia (VT).
Some people do not experience any symptoms, but others experience heart palpitations. It can be felt as a pounding heartbeat or a slurred heartbeat. Other signs are dizziness, fatigue or a feeling that you're unwell.
Many people who experience occasional PVCs don't require any treatment. If a person experiences frequent episodes, doctors may recommend a change in lifestyle or diet, such as limiting alcohol, caffeine and stress. They might prescribe beta-blockers or calcium channel blockers to lower blood pressure and slow down the heart rate.
Doctors will ask the patient about their medical history and perform a physical examination to assess their general health. They may also use an electrocardiogram (ECG) to capture an image of the heart's electrical activity, or a Holter monitor that is worn for longer durations and captures the heart's rhythms over time. Doctors may order blood tests in some instances to check for electrolyte imbalances or toxic effects of drugs.
A pvc physician may refer the patient to an electrophysiologist or a specialist in heart rhythm disorders for further examination. The doctor will confirm the diagnosis of PVCs and determine whether they are benign or not.
PVCs are quite common and rarely cause any problems unless they occur frequently over a long period of time. This could lead to a weakening of the heart muscle or a condition called pvc-induced cardiomyopathy. This is most prevalent in older people, or those who have some type of heart disease. It can also occur in healthy people with an uninvolved heart, however this is more likely for those who exercise regularly. It's not a serious concern however it is crucial to tell your doctor if you experience symptoms such as fainting or fatigue.
Treatment
PVCs are not harmful and do not cause symptoms in many people. They do not require treatment. However when you do feel their heart has skipped an beat or is racing, it's crucial to speak to a doctor as soon as you can.
A cardiologist will first interview you and conduct a physical examination by listening to your heart using an stethoscope to identify any irregular heartbeats. Additionally, you will have an electrocardiogram (ECG) performed, which will record the electrical signals in your heart and reveal any arrhythmias. If an arrhythmia is identified it is recommended to have you will require a 24-hour Holter monitor or other portable ECG will be needed to record the abnormal rhythm over longer periods of time. These devices can assist doctors determine if 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, may be ordered to assess whether your heart is in good health and to look for signs of structural problems which could cause PVCs. You might also be required to undergo an exercise test to find out the response of your heart to exercise. Physical activity can increase the frequency of pvcs. You can also take blood tests to test your thyroid hormone, magnesium, potassium, and other hormones to determine if they're too low. This could cause PVCs.
After your doctor has confirmed that you suffer from PVCs and has ruled out any serious diseases and has made a decision about whether or not to treat them will be based on how much they're impacting your life and the frequency at which they occur. If they occur only occasionally and do not cause symptoms, your doctor is unlikely to recommend any medication that will reduce their frequency or severity.
However, if you have frequent PVCs that cause the sensation of palpitations or other symptoms, such as light-headedness or feeling like you're about to faint, your physician might recommend medications like beta blockers or calcium channel blockers. Making changes to your lifestyle in order to stay clear of triggers, such as smoking, caffeine and excess stress, can also help lower the number of occurrences of these abnormal pulses.
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There are people who do not experience symptoms at all from PVCs or experience heart palpitations (irregular heartbeats) that can appear as "skipped" beats or fluttering in the chest. These episodes can trigger feelings of pressure or fullness, or they may cause you to feel faint. These episodes occur because the heart isn't pumping as efficiently as it normally does. Regular PVCs increase the chance of developing dilated cardiomyopathy, a condition where the heart gets larger and is not able to pump blood.
PVCs often are caused by changes in body chemistry. These include the release of adrenaline and thyroid hormones, as well as drinking caffeine or alcohol. Stress or excess weight and the absence of exercise can trigger these episodes.
Certain people find that a change in diet can reduce their PVCs. They can, for example avoid foods that contain preservatives that could cause disturbances to the heart rhythm. These include disodium guanylate and disodium Inosinate, and diazole Sodium (E282-283). Eat more fruits and veggies to ensure that you get enough magnesium.
Regular health checks are important as are annual physicals. These tests can help identify any heart issues which could be causing your PVCs. It is also recommended to refrain from smoking and adhere to the healthy eating plan. This can increase the frequency of episodes.
A survey of healthcare staff on 14 normal hospital wards found that they were mostly aware of the preventive measures for vascular catheter-related infections however, their self-assessment of compliance with these guidelines was poor. Compliance improved following a feedback intervention however it was still very low on a few of the wards surveyed. This suggests that education on how to implement the preventive measures is necessary, and that those wards that are not complying should be targeted for infection surveillance. These data can be used to guide quality improvement initiatives in these wards. This will most likely require additional education and training of personnel. It will also require making sure that the correct tools are available for implementation of preventive measures.
Symptoms
The premature contraction of the ventricular muscle can cause your heart to skip beats or flutter. These arrhythmias may be harmless, or they could be a sign that you are suffering from serious heart issues.
In healthy people, sporadic PVCs aren't an issue and they usually disappear by themselves. If you've got a lot of them, they can cause dizziness or weakening. If you're concerned, talk to your doctor about the symptoms. You might be required to provide an medical history, and they may also conduct an examination of the body to determine the cause. They might also need to conduct an electrocardiogram, or other tests.
A short ECG test will allow your doctor to observe the signal of your heartbeat moving through your body for a an extremely short time. The test will determine whether you have PVCs. Your doctor may also suggest to do a 24- or 48-hour Holter monitor, which records your heartbeat for longer periods of time. They can help distinguish PVCs from other arrhythmias that cause heart palpitations. You may also be wearing a device that records your heart rhythm over the course of 30 days, which is known as an event monitor.
Other heart tests may be required, based on the reason behind your PVCs. A cardiologist can check your blood pressure, or perform an echocardiogram (ultrasound of the heart). These tests can tell if you suffer from an illness like heart failure or mitral valve prolapse or cardiomyopathy.
Your doctor may also have to run an examination of your blood to determine what the problem is with your electrolytes like low potassium or high levels of calcium. This could indicate that you have PVCs, or another health issue such as anemia or anxiety disorders.
You might be referred to an electrophysiologist, one of the specialists who specialize in treating heart rhythms that are abnormal. The doctor may be required to conduct additional tests if you have heart conditions that cause structural damage, such as the CT or MRI scan of your chest. These tests will tell you if you have damage to your heart and how severe it is. In some instances, a specialist may recommend a pacemaker to treat the condition which is causing the PVCs.