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Why It's Important to See a Doctor Premature ventricular contractures (PVCs) are a form of irregular heartbeats. These extra beats are usually not dangerous, and they can go away by themselves. Doctors will listen to your heartbeat, and check other vital indicators. They may order an Holter monitor which is a device that tracks your heart's electrical impulses over the course of 24 hours. They can also request blood tests for checking your thyroid hormones and electrolyte levels. Diagnosis PVCs happen when electrical impulses coming from the heart's lower chambers, or ventricles, misfire through a structure known as the SA node. This causes the next heartbeat to be delayed, causing a feeling like the heart is fluttering or skips beats. PVCs can occur in isolation or in repeated patterns. Two consecutive PVCs are known as doublets. Three or more consecutive PVCs are referred to as the term ventricular tachycardia (VT). Some people do not experience any symptoms, whereas others experience palpitations. It could be an unsteady heartbeat or a skipping heartbeat. Other signs include fatigue, dizziness, or a feeling that you're unwell. Many people who experience occasional PVCs do not require treatment. If someone is experiencing frequent episodes, doctors might suggest a change to diet or lifestyle like limiting caffeine, alcohol and stress. They may also prescribe medications such as beta-blockers or calcium channel blockers that can reduce the heart rate and lower blood pressure. Doctors will inquire about their medical history, and then perform a physical examination to determine their general health. They may also utilize a Holter monitor to record the heart's rhythms over a longer period of time, or an electrocardiogram, which takes a snapshot at the electrical activity in the heart. Doctors may require blood tests in some instances to check for electrolyte imbalances or toxic substances in the body. A pvc doctor may refer the patient to an electrophysiologist or specialist in heart rhythm disorders for further evaluation. This specialist can confirm the diagnosis of PVCs and determine if they are benign or not. PVCs are common and don't usually cause any problems unless they happen frequently over a long time. This could lead to a weakening in the heart muscle, or a condition known as pvc-induced cardiomyopathy. This is most prevalent in people who are older or those suffering from some type of heart disease. It can also occur in healthy people with a normal heart, although this is more likely in those who exercise regularly. It's not a serious problem, but it is important to inform your doctor if symptoms such as fainting or fatigue occur. Treatment For many people, sporadic PVCs might not cause symptoms or are harmless and need no treatment. If you feel that your heart is racing or skipping an entire beat, you need to consult a doctor immediately. A cardiologist will then interview you and perform physical examinations, listening to your heart through the stethoscope in order to detect any irregular beats. You will also have an electrocardiogram (ECG) done to record the electrical signals in your heart and detect any arrhythmias. If an arrhythmia is discovered then an portable ECG or 24-hour Holter monitor is required to record the abnormal rhythm for longer durations of time. These devices will help doctors determine if you have PVCs, and their cause which could be due to an imbalance in electrolytes, toxic drugs or other factors. You may be requested to undergo an echocardiogram (an ultrasound of your heart) to determine if your heart health is in good order and to look for structural issues that could cause PVCs. You might also have a stress test to see how your heart reacts to physical exercise can increase the frequency of your PVCs. You may also be able to have blood tests to determine your magnesium, potassium and thyroid hormone levels to determine whether they are low which could contribute to the formation of PVCs. Once your doctor has confirmed that you have PVCs and has eliminated any serious illness and has made a decision about whether or not to treat them will be based on how much they're impacting your life and how frequently they occur. If they only occur occasionally and don't cause any symptoms then your doctor is unlikely to recommend any medication that will decrease their frequency or severity. If you have frequent PVCs that cause pulses or other symptoms, like feeling lightheaded or fainting, your physician may prescribe medications such as beta blockers and calcium channel blockers. Lifestyle changes like cutting down on smoking, caffeine and stress levels that are excessive can also reduce the frequency of these irregular pulses. Prevention PVCs can cause no symptoms or heart palpitations, that can feel like “skipped beats” or flutters in the chest. These episodes can cause feelings of pressure or fullness, or they can make you feel faint. These episodes result from the heart not pumping as effectively as it should. Regular PVCs increase the chance of developing dilated cardiomyopathy. a condition wherein the heart enlarges and is not able to pump blood. PVCs often are caused by changes in the body's chemical chemistry. They can be caused by the release of adrenaline and thyroid hormones, and drinking alcohol or caffeine. Stress or excess weight, as well as a lack of exercise, can trigger these episodes. Some people can find that a change in diet helps to reduce their PVCs. For instance, they could avoid foods with preservatives, which can cause a disturbance to the heartbeat, for example disodium Guanylate (E621), disodium inosinate (E627), and diazole sodium (E282-283). They can also take in more fruits and vegetables to ensure they're getting enough magnesium and potassium. Regular health checks are important and include annual physicals. They can aid in identifying any underlying heart conditions that could be the cause of your PVCs. It is also recommended to not smoke and adhere to the healthy eating program. This could increase the frequency of episodes. A survey of healthcare staff on 14 wards of a normal hospital revealed that they were aware of the preventive measures to avoid vascular catheter-associated infections However, their self-assessed compliance with these practices was not great. After a feedback intervention, compliance improved on some areas, but was still very low. This suggests that training on the best ways to implement preventive measures is essential and that wards which are less compliant should be targeted for infection surveillance. This information can then be used to help in the implementation of quality improvement initiatives for these wards. This will most likely require additional education and training of staff. It will also mean making sure that the correct tools are available for implementation of the preventive measures. Signs and symptoms If you feel your heart is racing or fluttering, it may be due to premature ventricular contractions. These arrhythmias could be normal, or they could indicate you have heart issues that are serious. In healthy people, PVCs that occur occasionally are not any problem. They generally disappear by themselves. If you've got many of them, it could cause dizziness or weakening. If you're worried, talk to your doctor about the symptoms. You might be required to provide your medical history and they might also perform an examination of the body to identify the issue. They'll also probably want to conduct an electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) or other tests. A quick ECG test allows your doctor to see the signal of your heartbeat going through your body over a the course of a brief period. The test will reveal whether you have PVCs. Your doctor may also suggest a Holter monitor that tracks your heartbeat for a longer period of time. They can help distinguish PVCs from other types of arrhythmias that cause heart palpitations. You could also be wearing a device that can record your heart's rhythm over a period of 30 days, referred to as an event monitor. Other heart tests may be required, depending on the cause of your PVCs. A cardiologist can check your blood pressure, or perform an echocardiogram (ultrasound of the heart). These tests can tell whether you are suffering from an illness like heart failure or mitral valve prolapse or cardiomyopathy. Your doctor may also be required to run an analysis of your blood to determine the problem with electrolytes. For example, low potassium or high levels of calcium. This could indicate that you suffer from PVCs or a different health issue such as anemia or anxiety disorders. You could be referred to an electrophysiologist a specialist who specializes in treating heart rhythms that are abnormal. This specialist may need to perform other tests if you are suffering from heart problems that are structural like an CT or MRI scan of your chest. These tests can determine if you have damage to your heart and how severe it is. In repairmywindowsanddoors.co.uk may suggest pacemakers to treat the issue which is causing the PVCs.