All You Need to Know About PVC
You may already be familiar with heart arrhythmias in general and how they can involve irregularities in your heartbeat, but did you know that there are different types of arrhythmias that can interfere with a healthy heartbeat? Premature ventricular contractions or PVCs are another type of heart arrhythmia that can alter your heartbeat.
Premature ventricular contractions or PVCs are a common heart condition that causes extra heartbeats that interfere with a normal, healthy heartbeat.
We’ll go over premature ventricular contractions in more detail so you’ll know how to spot them, how they’re treated, and what you can do to decrease the risk of PVCs.
What are PVCs?
Premature ventricular contractions involve additional heartbeats originating in the ventricles of the heart, hence the name. These extra heartbeats interfere with the natural rhythm of your heart which can then cause heart palpitations. When you have a PVC, you may feel some unusual heart activity, as though your heart is skipping a beat or fluttering.
Can PVCs Be Harmful?
As premature ventricular contractions are quite common, you are likely to experience them at some point. If your overall health is good, having a PVC from time to time may not necessarily be harmful. However, if you start to experience them more frequently, that’s a signal that you should schedule a visit with your doctor.
While the sensation of a PVC may not be bothersome to everyone, it can lead to further complications over time if left untreated. Repeated episodes of PVC can make it harder for your heart to do its job of pumping blood to the rest of your body. Without proper blood flow from the heart, you can experience lightheadedness, dizziness, or weakness.
When premature ventricular contractions start to become chronic, it’s best to see a doctor to get checked out since this could be an indication of:
- Heart disease
- Other heart-related conditions
- Anxiety disorder
- Anemia
- Infection
What Can Increase the Risk of PVCs?
If you haven’t already experienced PVCs, you may want to know what could make you more susceptible to getting them. Often, there is no specific cause for having PVCs but there are some things that can bring them on.
Some of the risk factors for PVCs are:
- Heart disease
- Drinking alcohol or caffeine
- Being anemic
- Participating in vigorous exercise
- Having an anxiety disorder
- Having high blood pressure
- Taking medications
- Smoking
You may notice some similarities in the above items that can trigger premature ventricular contractions. Many of them involve activities that increase your heart rate and/or stress levels which is helpful to know when trying to manage PVCs.
How are PVCs Treated?
Treatment options for premature ventricular contractions depend on several different factors.
To determine the right treatment option for your PVCs, your doctor will consider:
- The frequency of your symptoms
- The severity of your symptoms
Once you and your doctor discuss your symptoms, they will decide how to move ahead with treatment.
Treatment for Occasional, Mild PVC Symptoms
For many people, the symptoms are rather mild and only happen on rare occasions so there is generally no need for treatment other than making some lifestyle changes that can reduce the reoccurrence of symptoms.
Treatment for Chronic, More Severe PVC Symptoms
However, if your doctor determines that your PVCs are the result of heart disease or another heart condition, they may prescribe medications specific to that condition or ablation therapy. Beta blockers are commonly prescribed for heart disease and they can help cut down on palpitations. In some cases, your doctor may want you to take anti-arrhythmic drugs to manage an irregular heartbeat.
If your symptoms don’t improve with medication, you may need a radiofrequency catheter ablation. This medical procedure can destroy the heart tissue that is contributing to palpitations so your heart can resume normal functioning.
How Can You Decrease Your Risk of PVCs?
As noted above, the triggers for premature ventricular contractions typically correlate with stress and increased heart rate. Although PVCs can be harmless, you may still want to avoid that fluttery feeling in your chest. It’s a good idea to implement some lifestyle changes that can decrease your risk of PVCs since these same changes can also benefit your overall health and wellbeing.
Here are some lifestyle changes you can make to support your heart health and decrease the risk of PVCs:
- Cut back on alcohol and caffeine
- Add iron-rich foods to your diet
- Follow a low-impact exercise routine
- Decrease your stress levels
- Talk to your doctor about medications
- Quit smoking
Cut back on alcohol and caffeine
Since can cause heartbeat irregularities or aggravate existent heart conditions. Both can be dehydrating which depletes the body of electrolytes and interferes with heart function. Try mocktails and decaffeinated coffee or tea to help prevent of decrease PVCs.
Adding iron-rich foods to your diet
Can help prevent anemia. Since anemia can be the cause of PVCs, being mindful of consuming enough iron can help you avoid this possible trigger. You can increase your iron intake with leafy green vegetables, lentils, beans, and small amounts of red meat. Some breads and cereals are also enriched with iron. One important tip: When you’re trying to increase your iron levels, avoid drinking coffee or tea with your iron-rich foods since they can interfere with the absorption of this mineral.
Follow a low-impact exercise routine
To promote cardiovascular health. Intense physical activity can put a strain on the heart so stick to lower impact options like walking. Ask your doctor for recommendations for exercises that are safe for your current fitness level.
Decrease stress
Since this can trigger or aggravate anxiety which can lead to more PVC episodes. Take time each day to do something you enjoy, practice relaxation exercises like slow breathing and yoga, and eliminate any unnecessary stressors that you can.
Talk to your doctor about medications
That may be causing PVCs. Some medications act as stimulants that can interfere with your normal heart rhythm. Your doctor can evaluate any medications you are currently taking, prescription and over the counter. If you are experiencing stress or anxiety that has become chronic and unbearable, talk with your doctor about the possibility of medical intervention to help you manage it.
Quit smoking
Since this habit can contribute to PVCs or any other type of heart arrhythmia due to the carbon monoxide and oxidative stress. If you’re struggling with quitting, talk to your doctor about some medical options that may help, such as a nicotine patch.
Summary
Now you know what causes premature ventricular contractions and what lifestyle and dietary changes you can make to prevent or reduce the symptoms of PVCs. Awareness of what makes you more susceptible to PVCs can help you make the changes you need to promote the health of your heart. Making a few changes to your daily habits can help alleviate or prevent some of the symptoms of poor cardiovascular health.
While a healthy diet and lifestyle are extremely helpful for a strong cardiovascular system, it’s important to seek out professional care if the problem persists. If you’re experiencing symptoms of poor cardiovascular health that don’t respond to diet and lifestyle changes, contact us today to book an appointment.
