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What Causes Frequent PVCs?
Question: Today I have been experiencing pre-ventricular contractions 2-5 times per minute my blood pressure has averaged 130/88. This is really bothering me because it feels like my heart stops and then starts again. It wakes me up at night making it difficult to sleep. I can only sleep for about 2 hours at a time before my heart skips a beat and then wakes me up. Is this anything to be worried about?
Brief Answer:
Need to see a Cardiologist
Detailed Answer:
Hi friend
Welcome to Health Care Magic
A beat comes earlier than normal – this itself is not usually felt. The next beat is a bit delayed - longer time to recover from early extra beat – so heart fills more and the beat appears forcible – thud / lubb - - dubb - - lubb - - dubb - lub - - - DUBB / Feeling of ‘dropping- skipping- missed- hard- fluttering-’ beat is called ECTOPIC or premature beats / palpitation and so on.
Ectopic beats can arise from ventricle (lower chamber of the heart - Ventricular Ectopic; VPC) or Atrium (upper chamber - Atrial Ectopic; APC). APCs are generally harmless. Even VPCs are often harmless – ‘benign’.
The first step is to SEE A CARDIOLOGIST… Irregular heartbeats need to be DOCUMENTED by ElectroCardioGram (EKG). Standard ECG records the electrical activity of the heart, for a few seconds. It can detect the arrhythmia occurring during that time only. If the episode occurs randomly, one needs Holter or event monitor. Holter records for days; Event Monitor for weeks… Holter records continuously; Event Monitor only at certain times
Anaemia / Anxiety / Alcohol / Tobacco (smoking) / Caffeine (too much tea, coffee, cola) / Fever / Infection / Pain / Stress / Thyroid / Medicines like Phenylephrine used for ‘cold’; Salbutamol used for asthma and so on - may be responsible.... // At times, abnormal nerve paths in the heart (bypass tracts) or disease of the conduction system may be responsible!
Many cases of palpitation are benign, especially when associated with normal ECHO and may not require treatment, If you also have symptoms like blurred vision, dizziness, loss of consciousness, shortness of breath, chest pain along with this, you need urgent work up
The treating doctor could conclude better based on total clinical picture…
Mild aortic stenosis and mils left ventricular hypertrophy have no direct relation or bearing on this.
Your surgery means you could withstand stress…. .
Prognosis is generally excellent in most cases
SEE CARDIOLOGIST, as already suggested ….
Good luck
God bless you
Need to see a Cardiologist
Detailed Answer:
Hi friend
Welcome to Health Care Magic
A beat comes earlier than normal – this itself is not usually felt. The next beat is a bit delayed - longer time to recover from early extra beat – so heart fills more and the beat appears forcible – thud / lubb - - dubb - - lubb - - dubb - lub - - - DUBB / Feeling of ‘dropping- skipping- missed- hard- fluttering-’ beat is called ECTOPIC or premature beats / palpitation and so on.
Ectopic beats can arise from ventricle (lower chamber of the heart - Ventricular Ectopic; VPC) or Atrium (upper chamber - Atrial Ectopic; APC). APCs are generally harmless. Even VPCs are often harmless – ‘benign’.
The first step is to SEE A CARDIOLOGIST… Irregular heartbeats need to be DOCUMENTED by ElectroCardioGram (EKG). Standard ECG records the electrical activity of the heart, for a few seconds. It can detect the arrhythmia occurring during that time only. If the episode occurs randomly, one needs Holter or event monitor. Holter records for days; Event Monitor for weeks… Holter records continuously; Event Monitor only at certain times
Anaemia / Anxiety / Alcohol / Tobacco (smoking) / Caffeine (too much tea, coffee, cola) / Fever / Infection / Pain / Stress / Thyroid / Medicines like Phenylephrine used for ‘cold’; Salbutamol used for asthma and so on - may be responsible.... // At times, abnormal nerve paths in the heart (bypass tracts) or disease of the conduction system may be responsible!
Many cases of palpitation are benign, especially when associated with normal ECHO and may not require treatment, If you also have symptoms like blurred vision, dizziness, loss of consciousness, shortness of breath, chest pain along with this, you need urgent work up
The treating doctor could conclude better based on total clinical picture…
Mild aortic stenosis and mils left ventricular hypertrophy have no direct relation or bearing on this.
Your surgery means you could withstand stress…. .
Prognosis is generally excellent in most cases
SEE CARDIOLOGIST, as already suggested ….
Good luck
God bless you
Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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