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Have Had Panic Attack. How Common Are Pvcs? Could They Just Be Stress Related?

Posted on Mon, 30 Jul 2012

Question: How common are pvcs? On a 24 hour holter 10 came up, two of those ten were a couplet. I also threw 5 pacs. On e interesting fact was that none of them came on during sleeping hours. Does that have any significance? I have had panic attacks for the past few months and based on the fact they only appeared during waking hours could they just be stress related?

Answered by Dr. Ram Choudhary (1 hour later)

Hi,
I would say presence of PVCs are the rule rather than exception.
The most healthy hearts also have few PVCs a day but a presence of PVC with a frequency of greater than 10/hr is the cut off of normalcy.
I must congratulate you for having only a meagre 10 in a day.
Presence of couplet is ominous.
Presence during sleep/awake is immaterial.
The drugs for panic attack- tricyclic antidepressant, can cause/increase the abnormal beats, raised BP and pulse.
I hope that answers your query.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Ram Choudhary (41 minutes later)

So you say the one couplet is ominous. How concerned should I be about that? Perhaps I don't understand that reply. Thank you for your replies!

Answered by Dr. Ram Choudhary (7 hours later)

Hi,
PVCs and R on T are specific ECG complexes in Holter which indicate that the heart is susceptible for life threatening cardiac arrhythmias called ventricular tachycardia/fibrillation.
They need cardiologist's/physician's close follow up after treatment.
I hope that answers your query.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar