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Why It's Important to See a Doctor Premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) are a type of irregular heartbeat. These extra beats are usually not risky, and they may go away on their own. Doctors will monitor your heartbeat and also check other vitals signs. They may order a Holter Monitor, which records the electrical impulses of your heart over a period of between 24 and 48 hours. They can also request blood tests to check your electrolyte levels and thyroid hormones. Diagnosis PVCs are caused by electrical impulses that reverberate through the SA node, a structure in the lower chambers of the heart. This delays the next heartbeat and causes a feeling of skipped beats or fluttering in the chest. PVCs can occur in isolation, or in repeated patterns. Two consecutive PVCs are referred to as doublets, while three or more consecutive PVCs are referred to as the term ventricular Tachycardia (VT). Some people do not experience any symptoms, but others experience palpitations. It can be felt as the sound of a beating heart or a slurred heartbeat. Other symptoms include dizziness, fatigue, or a feeling of being unwell. Many people with occasional PVCs do not require treatment. If a patient experiences frequent episodes, a physician might recommend a change in the diet or lifestyle. For instance, limiting caffeine or stress, as well as alcohol. They can also prescribe medications like beta-blockers and calcium channel blockers, which can slow the heart rate and lower blood pressure. Doctors will inquire about the patient's medical history and conduct a physical exam to check their general health. They may also employ an electrocardiogram (ECG) to capture an image of the heart's electrical activity, or a Holter monitor that is worn for longer time periods and records the heart's rhythms over time. In certain cases doctors may require blood tests to determine if there is an electrolyte imbalance or toxic effects from drugs. A pvc doctor may refer the patient to an electrophysiologist, or a specialist in heart rhythm disorders for further examination. The doctor can confirm a diagnosis of PVCs, and determine whether they are benign or malignant. PVCs are common and rarely cause any issues, except when they are frequent over a long time. This can lead to a weakening of the heart muscle or a condition referred to as pvc-induced cardiomyopathy. This is most prevalent for people over the age of 65 or those suffering from any form of heart disease. This can happen to healthy individuals with a normal, normal heart. However, it's more common in those who exercise regularly. Most of the time, this isn't a serious concern, but it is important to speak with a doctor if you notice symptoms such as fainting or fatigue. Treatment For many, occasional PVCs might not cause symptoms or are harmless and need no treatment. However when you do feel your heart is lagging an beat or is racing, it's important to consult a physician as soon as possible. A cardiologist will first interview you and conduct a physical examination, listening to your heart with a stethoscope to detect any irregular beats. Additionally, you will undergo an electrocardiogram, which captures the electrical impulses of your heart to determine any arrhythmias. If an arrhythmia is found, a 24-hour Holter monitor or a portable ECG is required to detect the irregular rhythm for longer periods 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. You may be requested to undergo an echocardiogram (an ultrasound of your heart) to determine if your heart health is good and to look for structural problems that could cause PVCs. You may also be asked to undergo a stress test in order to find out the response of your heart to exercise. Exercise can increase your frequency of pvcs. You may also be able to have blood tests to assess your magnesium, potassium and thyroid hormone levels to determine whether they are low, which can contribute to the development of PVCs. After your doctor has determined that you have PVCs and has ruled out any serious diseases, the decision of how to treat them will be based on the extent to which they impact your life and how often they occur. If they only occur occasionally and don't trigger any symptoms, it's unlikely your doctor will recommend any medication to lessen their frequency or severity. If you have frequent PVCs that cause heart palpitations, or other symptoms such as feeling light-headed or fainting, your physician may prescribe medication such as beta blockers and calcium channel blockers. Altering your lifestyle to avoid triggers, such as smoking, caffeine, and excessive stress, can reduce the frequency of occurrences of these irregular pulses. Prevention A person might not experience any symptoms whatsoever from PVCs or heart palpitations (irregular heartbeats) that can be felt as “skipped” beats or fluttering in the chest. Sometimes, these episodes trigger the chest to feel full or swollen in the chest. Other occasions, they may make someone feel faint. These episodes are caused by the heart not pumping as well as it should. Frequent PVCs increase the chance of developing dilated cardiomyopathy, a condition wherein the heart gets larger and becomes ineffective at pump blood. PVCs are usually caused by changes in body chemistry. This is due to the release of thyroid hormones and adrenaline and alcohol consumption or caffeine. Inactivity can trigger these symptoms and stress, as well as excess weight. Some people have found that a change in their diet can reduce their PVCs. For instance, they can avoid foods that contain preservatives that can cause a disturbance to the heart rhythm, such as disodium Guanylate (E621), disodium inosinate (E627), and diazole sodium (E282-283). It is also recommended to take in more fruits and vegetables to ensure that they get enough potassium and magnesium. Regular health checks are important and include annual physicals. These tests can help diagnose any heart issues that could be causing your PVCs. It is also recommended to adhere to an appropriate diet and refrain from smoking, which can increase the frequency of your episodes. A survey of healthcare professionals on 14 normal hospital wards found that they were mostly aware of the preventive measures that could be used to treat vascular catheter-related infections However, their self-assessed compliance with these practices was not great. After a feedback intervention, compliance improved on some wards but was still low. This suggests that education is required on how to implement preventive measures and those wards that are not compliant need to be targeted for infection monitoring. This information could be used to guide the implementation of additional quality improvement initiatives for these wards. This will likely require more education and training for staff. It will also be important to ensure that the appropriate tools to implement the preventive measures are in place. Symptoms The premature contraction of the ventricular muscle can cause your heartbeat to skip beats or flutter. These arrhythmias may be harmless, but they could indicate you are suffering from serious heart issues. In healthy people, PVCs that occur occasionally are not any problem. They generally disappear on their own. But if you have a lot of them, they could cause dizziness or weakness. If you're concerned you might be experiencing dizziness or weakness, talk to your doctor about them. You might be required to provide an medical history, and they might also perform an examination to determine the cause. They'll likely also need to perform an electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) or other tests. A quick ECG test allows your doctor to see the heartbeat signal going through your body over a an extremely short time. The test will show whether you have PVCs. Your doctor may also suggest to perform a 24- or 48-hour Holter monitor which monitors your heartbeat for longer periods of time. These tests can help differentiate PVCs from arrhythmias causing 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. For example, a cardiologist might check your blood pressure and perform an ultrasound of your heart (echocardiogram). These tests can determine whether you are suffering from a condition like heart failure, mitral valve prolapse, or cardiomyopathy. Your doctor might also need to run an analysis of your blood to determine what the problem is in your electrolytes, for example, low potassium levels or high calcium levels. This could be a sign that you suffer from PVCs or a different health issue such as anemia or anxiety disorders. You might be directed to an electrophysiologist, a specialist who specializes in treating irregular heart rhythms. If you have heart disease that is structural, this specialist might need to perform additional tests, such as an MRI or CT scan of your chest. These tests can determine whether you've suffered damage to your heart and how serious it is. In look at here may recommend a pacemaker to treat the issue which is causing the PVCs.