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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 typically not dangerous and can go away by themselves. To diagnose PVC Doctors will listen to your heartbeat and check other vital indicators. They might order an Holter Monitor that records the electrical impulses of your heart over a span of between 24 and 48 hours. They can also request blood tests for checking your thyroid hormones and electrolyte levels. Diagnosis PVCs happen when electrical impulses coming from the lower chambers of the heart ventricles misfire through a structure called the SA node. This causes the next heartbeat to be delayed, leading to a feeling like racing or skipped beats. PVCs can occur in isolation or in repeated patterns. Doublets are two consecutive PVCs. Ventricular tachycardia is three or more consecutive PVCs. Some people don't experience any symptoms at all Others experience heart palpitations which could feel like the heart beating faster or slower. Other common symptoms are tiredness and dizziness, as well as a feeling of being unwell. A lot of people who have occasional PVCs do not require treatment. If a person experiences frequent episodes, doctors could suggest a change in lifestyle or diet including a reduction in alcohol, caffeine and stress. They may also prescribe medications like calcium channel blockers or beta-blockers that can reduce the heart rate and lower blood pressure. Doctors will ask the patient about their medical history, and then perform an examination of the body to assess their general health. They may also employ an electrocardiogram (ECG) to capture a snapshot of the heart's electrical activity, or a Holter monitor that is worn for longer durations and monitors the heart's rhythms over time. Doctors may order blood tests in some cases to check for electrolyte imbalances or drug toxicity. Sometimes, a pvc physician will refer someone to a specialist in heart rhythm issues or an electrophysiologist for further evaluation. The doctor will confirm the diagnosis of PVCs and determine if they are benign or not. PVCs are common and don't usually cause any issues, except when they are frequent over a long time. This can cause weakening of the heart muscle, or a condition called pvc-induced cardiomyopathy. This is most common in older people, or those who have some type of heart disease. It can also happen in healthy people with a normal heart, although it is more likely to occur in those who exercise regularly. It's not a serious issue, but you should inform your doctor if symptoms such as fatigue or fainting occur. Treatment PVCs aren't harmful or cause any symptoms in the majority of people. They do not require treatment. But when you do feel their heart has skipped a beat or is racing, it's important to consult a physician immediately. A cardiologist will begin by interviewing you and performing a a physical exam, monitoring your heart using a stethoscope for any irregular beats. You'll also undergo an electrocardiogram, which captures the electrical impulses of your heart to detect any arrhythmias. If an arrhythmia is detected, you will require a 24-hour Holter monitor or other portable ECG will be needed to record the irregular rhythm over longer durations of time. These devices will help doctors determine whether you have PVCs and the reason for them which could be due to an imbalance in electrolytes, toxic drugs or other factors. An echocardiogram, or an ultrasound of your heart, could be ordered to assess whether your heart is in good health and look for any indications of structural issues that could lead to PVCs. You could also be required to undergo a stress test in order to assess how your heart reacts to exercise. Exercise can increase your frequency of pvcs. You may also be able to have blood tests to determine your thyroid, magnesium, and potassium hormone levels to find out if they are too low and can cause the formation of PVCs. After your doctor has confirmed that you're suffering from PVCs and has eliminated any serious illnesses and has made a decision about whether to treat them will depend on how much they're impacting your life and how often they occur. If they only occur occasionally and don't cause any symptoms, it's unlikely that your doctor will recommend any medication to decrease their frequency or severity. If you are experiencing frequent PVCs, which can cause heart palpitations, or other symptoms such as feeling light-headed or fainting, your doctor may prescribe medications such as beta blockers and calcium channel blockers. Changing your lifestyle to avoid triggers, such as smoking, caffeine and excess stress, can help lower the number of occurrences of these unusual pulses. The following is a list of preventions. PVCs can cause no symptoms or heart palpitations that can feel like “skipped beats” or flutterings in the chest. These episodes can trigger an feeling of pressure or fullness or make you feel faint. These episodes happen because the heart is not pumping as efficiently as it normally does. The frequent PVCs increase a person's risk of developing dilated cardiomyopathy. a condition wherein the heart enlarges and becomes ineffective at pump blood. PVCs are usually caused by changes in body chemistry. This is due to the release of adrenaline and thyroid hormones as well as drinking alcohol or caffeine. Stress or excess weight or the absence of exercise can trigger these episodes. Some people can find that a change in their diet helps reduce their PVCs. For example, they can avoid foods with preservatives, which can cause a disturbance in the heartbeat, for example disodium guanylate (E621), disodium inosinate (E627) diazole sodium (E282-283). Eat more fruits and vegetables to get enough magnesium. It is crucial to undergo regular health checks, including annual physicals and lab tests. These tests can help identify any heart issues that could be causing your PVCs. You should also follow a healthy eating plan and avoid smoking, which can increase the frequency of your episodes. A survey of healthcare workers on 14 normal hospital wards found that they were mostly aware of the preventive measures to avoid vascular catheter-associated infections, but that their self-assessed compliance with these guidelines was not great. After a feedback program, compliance improved on some wards but was still low. This suggests that training is required to implement preventive measures, and those wards that are not compliant need to be targeted for monitoring of infection. This information can then be used to guide the implementation of further quality improvement initiatives for these wards. It is likely that this will require additional education and training of staff. the glass doctor is also necessary to ensure that the appropriate tools for implementing the preventive measures are in place. Symptoms Involuntary ventricular contractions that are premature can cause your heartbeat to skip or be fluttering. These arrhythmias aren't necessarily dangerous or they can be the sign of heart problems. In healthy individuals, occasional PVCs aren't a problem and they generally disappear by themselves. But if you have many of them, they could cause dizziness or weakness. Talk to your doctor if concerned. They may have to identify the problem by taking an medical history and performing a physical exam. They may also want to conduct an electrocardiogram or other tests. A quick ECG test lets your doctor see the signal of your heartbeat going through your body over a the course of a brief period. The test will determine whether you have PVCs. Your doctor might also want to perform a 24- or 48-hour Holter monitor that records your heartbeat over longer periods of time. These tests can help distinguish PVCs from arrhythmias causing heart palpitations. You can wear an event monitor, a portable device that keeps track of your heart's rhythm for 30 days. Other tests for the heart may be needed, depending on the cause of your PVCs. A cardiologist will test your blood pressure, or perform an echocardiogram (ultrasound of the heart). These can help find the presence of a medical condition that may be responsible for your PVCs like mitral valve prolapse, cardiomyopathy or heart failure. Your doctor might also need to conduct a blood test to see what's wrong with your electrolytes such as low potassium or high levels of calcium. This could be a sign that you suffer from PVCs, or another condition such as anemia or anxiety disorders. You may be referred an electrophysiologist who is able to treat abnormal heart rhythms. This specialist may need to conduct additional tests if you are suffering from structural heart diseases like the CT or MRI scan of your chest. These tests will help determine if your heart is damaged and the severity of the damage. In some cases, a specialist may recommend a pacemaker to treat the issue that causes the PVCs.