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Why It's Important to See a Doctor Premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) are a form of irregular heartbeat. These extra beats aren't usually hazardous, and they could go away on their own. Doctors will monitor your heartbeat and look for other vitals signs. They may also order an Holter Monitor that records the electrical impulses generated by your heart over a time of between 24 and 48 hours. They can also order blood tests for checking your electrolyte levels and thyroid hormones. Diagnosis PVCs happen when electrical impulses from the lower chambers of the heart, or ventricles, misfire through a structure called the SA node. This causes the next heartbeat to be delayed, causing a feeling like racing or skipped beats. PVCs may occur alone, or in repeated patterns. Doublets are PVCs that occur in a series of. Ventricular tachycardia refers to three or more consecutive PVCs. While some people don't have any symptoms whatsoever Others experience heart palpitations that can be felt as an irregular heartbeat or a pounding. Other typical symptoms include fatigue or dizziness, or a feeling of being unwell. Many people who experience occasional PVCs do not require treatment. If a patient experiences frequent episodes, a physician might suggest a change in diet or lifestyle. For example the restriction of caffeine or stress, as well as alcohol. They may also prescribe medication, such as calcium channel blockers or beta-blockers which can lower the heart rate and lower blood pressure. Doctors will ask the patient about their medical history and conduct a physical examination to assess their general health. They can also perform an electrocardiogram (ECG) to capture a snapshot of the heart's electrical activity or a Holter monitor that is worn for longer periods and records the heart's rhythms over time. Doctors may order blood tests in some cases to look for imbalances in electrolytes or toxic substances in the body. A pvc doctor may refer the patient to an electrophysiologist or a specialist in heart rhythm disorders for further evaluation. This doctor can confirm the diagnosis of PVCs and determine if they are benign or not. PVCs are all over the place and are generally not harmful when used frequently or for long periods of time. This could lead to a weakening of the heart muscle or a condition known as pvc-induced cardiomyopathy. This is most common for people over the age of 65, or those who have any form of heart disease. It can also happen to healthy people who have normal, normal hearts. However, it's more prevalent in people who regularly exercise. It is not a major problem, but it is important to tell your doctor if symptoms such as fatigue or fainting occur. Treatment PVCs are not harmful and do not cause any symptoms in the majority of people. They don't require treatment. But, for those who feel their heart has skipped the beat or is racing, it's important to speak to a doctor as soon as you can. A cardiologist will interview you and then perform physical examinations and listen to your heart through the stethoscope in order to detect any irregular heartbeats. You will also have an electrocardiogram (ECG) done to record the electrical impulses that occur in your heart and reveal any arrhythmias. If an arrhythmia is detected, the use of a portable ECG or a 24-hour Holter monitor will be required to record the irregular rhythm for longer periods of time. These devices can assist doctors determine if you have PVCs and the reason for them like an imbalance in electrolytes, drug toxicity or other causes. You may be required to undergo an echocardiogram (an ultrasound of your heart) to determine whether your heart health is good and to look for structural issues that could cause PVCs. repairmywindowsanddoors.co.uk may also be required to undergo stress tests to find out how your heart reacts to exercise. Physical activity can increase your frequency of PVCs. You can also have blood tests to check your thyroid hormone, magnesium, potassium and other hormones to determine if they're too low. This could lead to PVCs. Once your doctor has confirmed that you have PVCs and has eliminated any serious diseases and has made a decision about how to treat them will be contingent on the degree to which they're affecting your life and the frequency at which they occur. If they only occur occasionally and don't trigger any symptoms, it's unlikely your doctor will suggest any medication to reduce their frequency or severity. If, however, you suffer from frequent PVCs that do cause heart palpitations, as well as other symptoms like lightheadedness or feeling like you're about to faint, your doctor might recommend medications like beta blockers or calcium channel blockers. Changes in lifestyle, like abstaining from smoking, caffeine, and excessive stress can reduce the frequency of these abnormal pulses. Prevention A person might not experience any symptoms at all from PVCs or heart palpitations (irregular heartbeats) that may feel like “skipped” beats or fluttering in the chest. These episodes can create feelings of fullness or pressure, or they can make you feel faint. These episodes are caused by the heart isn't pumping as effectively as normal. PVCs are linked to an increased risk of developing dilated cardiac myopathy. This is a condition where the heart expands and becomes is unable to pump blood. PVCs often are caused by changes in the body's chemistry. This can be caused by the release of thyroid hormones and adrenaline and alcohol consumption or caffeine. Stress or excess weight or an insufficient amount of exercise can trigger these episodes. Certain people find that a change in diet helps reduce their PVCs. For instance, they can avoid foods that contain preservatives that can cause a disturbance in the heartbeat, for example disodium guanylate (E621) disodium inosinate (E627) and diazole sodium (E282-283). Eat more fruits and veggies to get enough magnesium. Regular health checks are important and include annual physicals. These can help diagnose any underlying heart conditions that could be causing your PVCs. It is also recommended to refrain from smoking and adhere to an appropriate diet program. This can increase the frequency of episodes. A survey of 14 regular hospital wards revealed that healthcare workers were generally aware of preventive measures to avoid vascular catheter-associated infection, but their self-assessment of conformity to these procedures was not high. Compliance improved following feedback interventions however it was still very low on a few of the wards surveyed. This suggests that training is required on how to implement preventive measures, and those wards that are not than compliant should be targeted for monitoring of infection. This information can then be used to guide the implementation of further quality improvement initiatives for these wards. This will likely require more training and education for personnel. It will also require making sure that the right materials are in place for the implementing of the preventive measures. Signs and symptoms If you feel like your heart beats are erratic or fluttering, it could be due to premature ventricular contractions. These arrhythmias can be harmless or they can be a sign of serious heart problems. In healthy individuals, PVCs that occur occasionally are not an issue. They usually disappear by themselves. However, if you suffer from many of them, they could lead to dizziness or weakness. Talk to your doctor if you're worried. They may have to identify the problem by taking an history of your medical condition and performing an examination. They'll likely also need to conduct an electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) or other tests. A quick ECG test will allow your doctor to observe the signal of your heartbeat going through your body over a the course of a brief period. The test will reveal if you have PVCs. Your doctor may also decide to perform a 24- or 48-hour Holter monitor that records your heartbeat for longer periods of time. They can help distinguish PVCs from other types of arrhythmias that cause heart palpitations. You can wear an event monitor, a portable device which records your heart rhythm for 30 days. Other tests for the heart may be required, depending on the reason behind your PVCs. A cardiologist will test your blood pressure or perform an echocardiogram (ultrasound of the heart). These tests can determine whether you are suffering from an illness such as heart failure or mitral valve prolapse or cardiomyopathy. Your doctor might also need to conduct an examination of your blood to determine what is wrong with your electrolytes, like low potassium or high levels of calcium. This could be a sign of PVCs or other conditions that may 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 have structural heart disease, this specialist might need to perform additional tests, such as an MRI or CT scan of your chest. These tests can determine if you have damage to your heart and how serious it is. In some instances, a specialist may recommend pacemakers to treat the issue which is causing the PVCs.