PVCs: Symptoms and Treatment - in Plain English!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 9 พ.ค. 2020
- (Please hit "like" if you want more videos like this!) I explain what PVCs are, why they cause symptoms, and how to treat them, without using "doctor language!"
For other patient education videos, click my picture, then "Playlists" tab, and visit the Patient Education section! For an office consultation at Temple University, click www.templehealth.org/doctors/... or call us at 215-707-7526 to make an appointment. - วิทยาศาสตร์และเทคโนโลยี
Finally, someone with a decent bedside manner who can explain things properly. Thank you.
So true! It seems like a rarity now a days.
thank you for this, PVC's combined with extreme anxiety and hypocondraicism is one hell of a combo.
I've changed my diet, begun anxiety and blood pressure medication, and decreased daily life stressors. I have seen some improvement, but nothing final. I appreciate this video reminding me that I will be ok, it's just scary in the moment.
Sometimes a tight diaphragm is the cause, or air trapped in stumach area, try stretch it breath into the lower stomach and then sidewards, keep it for some seconds and repeat..
@@audiokees4045 I think this would be my case 😢 what to do with diaphragm? My back muscles are so tight too, many knots
@@Alexzu640 I am now busy with yoga and go let examine mine stumach and foodpipe because of reflux. I have PVC,s I had a lot past days, and now it get better, I have no pvc when on bed, and doing butyco breathing. when wake up I have no pvc,s going to walk or bicycle I get them, and then dissapair, but now it is better. I had a big stress period losing mother and a friend who has cancer. I had examins in hospital, the whole bunch like echo stresstest and holter. Not dangerous, but annoying.
Wish you were my cardiologist. Mine just said "You've got PVCs, don't worry about it"! You gave a great explanation as to why it feels like my heart skips beats when it's actually an extra beat. Thank you so much.
The absolute best video explanation on this subject for the normal person thank you
Thank you so much for your kind comments! I thought there was an unmet need for true patient-oriented videos on several topics, including PVCs, to explain things in non-medical terms. I'm so glad you found this one helpful!!
What a great video, thanks so much. I also what get what feels like a flutter for a second or so is that also a type of PVC? Wore a holtor for 72 hrs gp said all good but never felt the flutter during that time of course !! Lol. Thanks again wish you happy holidays.
@@dr.joshuacooper-arrhythmia9917 i have them frequently, i take metoprolol but it causes me to feel high some what, it calms the heart some but its uncomfortable when i feel high
@@rickganzel4720 Yes, a brief flutter sensation is common with PVCs. And yes, it's so common that they disappear when getting an EKG or wearing a 24h Holter monitor 😂
That's why longer term wearable monitors (7-30 days), or even using a phone/watch app is more likely to catch the culprit!
@@dr.joshuacooper-arrhythmia9917 hi Dr. I am feel 5 to 25 PVCs par day.and I have also mvp with mild MR and my lvef is 60.
Dr give me a Beta blocker it's name is ciplar la 20 mg par day.so my Dr give me a good treatment??
Great explanation. I had a heart PVC ablation, the outcome was well worth it. Took about 3 months for them to subside completely, amazing what modern medicine can do.
Hey. I had an ablation done for PVCs in London 10 days ago. They procedure went well and the surgeon said it was a success. However, I have not really noticed much difference, if any. I guess this is the process of the scar tissue forming, which may take 3 months, like in your case? I would appreciate some reassurance here as I have convinced myself it hasn't worked.
@@ollythomas2863 How was your recovery? Was there pain after the procedure for some period of time?
Watching this as I lay here in bed dealing with these symptoms happening several times a minute, which scare the crap out of me because it feels like my heart is completely stopping wondering if it's gonna beat the next time it's supposed to. I know it's supposed to be "normal" but it sure doesn't feel normal.
Great video and great explanation!
I hear you! I also feel suddenly frightened when I feel PVCs, for the same reasons (and this is *my* area of expertise!).
My video is not intended to suggest that having PVCs with symptoms is "normal" and should be dismissed - to the contrary, despite being very common (and usually benign), it isn't "normal" to be aware of one's heartbeat. And it's scary! As I've mentioned, there's a difference between "not dangerous" and "normal." Depending on the frequency and severity of PVC symptoms, there are treatment options available to improve quality of life, although it's perfectly fine to "just live with the symptoms" of PVCs if that's what the patient decides to do after a thorough discussion of the options. And some lifestyle modifications can often help reduce symptoms, including being well hydrated, getting enough sleep, eating well, exercising, and trying to reduce stress as much as possible (a tall order nowadays!). Best of luck to you!
Are you ok I’m having so many tonight
@@PaigeC.94 Yeah, knock on wood, I've been doing pretty good the last couple months. I have a few that I notice from time to time but nothing like what I've had on and off over the last 5 or so years.
I hope you get to feeling better soon. I know it's scary, but you'll get through it. Best thing I've found is, if possible, try to do something that takes your mind off of it.
@@PaigeC.94 mine just started so scary giving me major anxiety
I've been dealing with the exact same thing since the 90's--it still doesn't feel "normal".
My PVC is extreme, at least to me. I can't ever take a deep breathe, extreme fatigue all day, and cough everytime one occurs which is sometime 10 per minute on a not so great day. My doctor prescribed 500mg of magnesium per day for two weeks, and then it will be stepped up to 750mg per day. We are taking it one step at a time. It all started 4 years ago on an uncomfortable camping trip where I didn't get any sleep the first night. Everything was screwed the following day and has only gotten worse. I feel for everyone suffering from this horrible affection.
Thank you for taking the time to put this video together and sharing it. My family wants a clearer explanation than what my doctors could give them. This is super clear.
I just received a double ablation and a pacemaker/shocker combo 5 days ago. During the EP Study, I was thrown into VT twice. Thus the double ablation and shocker. 👍
For what it is worth, I haven’t felt a single PVC since the surgery. I think I was very lucky. Before surgery, I had full time bigeminy, and randomly it would line up 2 and at the worst times, 3 in a row for almost a minute. When those happened, I felt like I was on death’s door. 😢
Talk to your doctor if you’re feeling irregular heartbeats. It’s not worth taking a chance. I survived a, 100% occlusion main left artery, heart attack 7 years ago, so I’m super fortunate to be here today. I’m a little stubborn, and I refuse to lay down when things are going bad. 🤷♂️ I literally would not sit or lay down during my heart attack until I was in ICU. I then knew they had me. They lost me once, but was revived.
Sorry this is so long, to be honest, it hurts my mind even talking about all this. I guess I’m finally letting it all out.
Nice to meet you all! 🤣 And please take care. People love you and don’t want to lose you. 🥰
Thank you for this easily understood explanation. Doctors fail to understand how frightening it is to a patient, and do not explain other than stating it's "normal.". They fail to see that it is not normal for the one experiencing it, so thank you, again.
exactly how I felt Dorothy. This video really put me at ease, hope for you too.
@@fmbead53 Yes, I really appreciate these presentations. Better late than never, I guess. I wish the best for you.
Completely agree that standard GPs are far too blasé in their explanations and think that saying ‘nothing to worry about’ is enough. It’s not. I wish my doctor had explained this to me in full the first time pvcs were diagnosed. Instead I walked out of the office with a lot of uncertainty which snowballed into a state of anxiety.
What a fantastic explanation! I’ve been struggling with severe PVCs for last 3 months. Finally saw a cardiologist and have a stress test scheduled next week. I’ve been driving myself crazy over these as sometimes they are so rough and take my breath away but I still exercise regularly. He wasn’t too concerned with my ekg as it only showed one pvc but as precaution we did a holter and ordered a stress test. I wish my doctor would have explained this to me instead of letting me walk out of the office with high anxiety. Thank you so much for this video!!
I just went to the er last night 1/15/2023 have to get my holter tomorrow
@@jerseygirl7135 I hope all is well! My holter showed over 4700 PVCs in 24 hours. Stress test was phenomenal and I still have no answers !
@@amjolu I had a similar experience. During the stress test the PVC's completely went away, which is what the Dr. expected to see. None of the Dr.'s I've seen seem alarmed in anyway...I think it's because they know it's not really anything to be concerned about. I think the biggest problem is just our reaction to having them! Not long after my stress test the PVC's completely went away and stayed away for about 6 months. But they did return a few months ago but not as bad as they were last year. For me it's just annoying that they came back, and I think what really bothers me is I just feel like my body is letting me down, that I'm somehow "defective".
@@jerseygirl7135 hello jersey girl, I started to develop pvcs and pacs for 3 years. I have done 2 echocardiogram, lots of ekgs, blood work, and 3 ziopatches, which is a small monitor to record your heart beets for up to 6 weeks. Everything came Beck pretty normal, rare pvcs and pacs. They do still cause me lots of anxiety, and still feel some daily. My cardiologist has told me if your heart is structural normal, no worries, unless your getting 15 thousand a day. I still will never get used to the feeling of having pvcs
Be well, greetings from Jersey
@@amjolu I hope they haven't gotten your pvc's figured out. They are almost always no big deal. Mine were probably about like yours at first (one and a half years ago) so they first put me on beta blocker metroprolol 25 mg per day. They made me feel much better but they sent me to an electro physiologist (heart "electrician") and he also put me on flecainide 50 mg 2x per day and I feel great now! My pvc's now are only 1 in every 100 beats.
Magnesium !!!! I have had PVCs for the last year now. Prior to that I would get increase heart rate while doing minimal things. It all seemed to be connected with me eating, or rather not eating. After years of trying to figure out what was going on with my body, I concluded that I was vitamin deficient. After watching this video I saw several people mentioned Magnesium so I started taking 400mg daily. My daily pvcs have almost gone completely. And still getting better. I almost feel 100% normal again. I did check with cardiologist first (well after i started) and he said me taking magnesium was fine. Not sure if this will work for everyone but it was the best suggestion I had in a decade. Hope it helps 🙏🏾
Hi, could you tell me the brand name?
@@chick758 Over the counter magnesium oxide is often used, and works for some patients. 400mg daily or so is the usual dose that people might try.
Thanks for sharing your experience!
It's probably best that you should've had a blood test done and also do an electrolyte measure test to know if you're deficient or not.
I had a-fib and taking magnesium helped a lot.
I have had PVCs for the past 10+ years. I have seen about five cardiologists during that time and have several tests done and worn heart monitors, etc. I am always told my PVCs are benign but they are still so worrisome when I feel them, usually around stressful events or two weeks before my period. Your explanation has been the most helpful thing I have ever heard, read or been told. I thank you so much for giving me a little peace by explaining exactly what I feel and why.
mentally there not benign! lol
ive hd this since 2016 they come and go for me
Do you still have the pvcs??
@@MrAlmorisi yes. They’re awful, but I know they’re hormone related.
how r u diong? txjen
I suffer from anxiety, I noticed that when I go prolonged amount of time with anxiety I start developing tons of PVC
Check your adrenal glands
Adrenaline can definitely be a triggering factor for PVCs in many people. Stress, anxiety are very common reasons that people feel more PVCs. I wish I had a good cure for stress and anxiety! There is definitely a brain-heart connection and taking care of mental health also helps the heart! (treatments for PVCs also work for patients who find they are more frequent at times of stress, so it's very reasonable to talk to your doctor about managing PVC symptoms if you find they are bothersome enough to you that you'd consider treatment options)
Dr. Joshua Cooper - Arrhythmia Education are pvcs that are caused by anxiety dangers? Sometimes I get so many really close together during stressful times and it really scares me. It’s been happening daily for me the last few weeks.
@@ericaciuffreda1606 It is very common for PVCs to flare up during times of stress. Those PVCs are no different from PVCs that occur at other times, but they often feel more significant because they are associated with times of anxiety. And if the PVCs cause even more anxiety, then that can trigger more PVCs, so that escalation of stress and PVCs can feel frightening. Recognizing what is going on, and knowing that the PVCs are not a sign that something bad is happening, can help many people regain some mental control over the situation. Relaxation techniques are often very helpful at such times.
@@dr.joshuacooper-arrhythmia9917 thank you!
This video and the people commenting their problems has really made me feel like I'm understood. I have an anxiety disorder and have had panic attacks in the past, so I am always hypervigilant about my heart and whether or not my chest feels any sort of discomfort. PVCs are new to me though, I'm almost 30 and they started coming in attack-like patterns at times, and now at night they're very strong to the point that they keep me up. They make me feel scared and dread going to sleep. I've lost sleep from this, I've had emotional breakdowns over it even after going to a doctor and confirming they are PVCs. I feel like I'm a crazy person sometimes, or am being weird and unhinged for feeling so scared of these really strong thumps in my heart. The comments of other people also suffering through this makes me feel a sense of solidarity, and it really helps.
Thanks Doctor Cooper for the video for explaining this clearly, and thanks to everyone in the comments sharing their problems too.
Thanks for sharing your experience. Indeed, PVC sensations can be very frightening, and can also create a vicious cycle with anxiety/panic attacks as well. But knowledge is power. And that's why I created this video. And I would encourage you to speak with an EP doctor who can review treatment options with you, including a discussion about quality of life (which is the most common issue with PVCs, given they are mostly benign - but that doesn't mean we just ignore the issues of symptoms!). Best of luck to you and I'm pleased you found this video and the associated comments to be helpful!
Been dealing with them for going on 12 years and it's negatively impacted every part of my life. Get more sleep is a great recommendation except they are exactly what keeps me awake. If I have a strong bout of them I can pretty much count on not sleeping for a few weeks which definitely makes it worse. Numerous doctors telling me that there's nothing to worry about doesn't mean anything when I'm laying down to sleep and my heart feels like it's doing cartwheels in my chest.
Same here 😢
As a physician and a computer graphics enthusiast, I want to thank you for this excellent presentation. This is exactly what TH-cam should be used for.
I might also add that this is the first time I have heard that there is anything that can be done for PVC other than "avoid caffeine, cocaine, stress, menstration, Magnesium or medications".
If you are a computer graphics enthusiast, then my humble apologies for the very rudimentary attempts at drawing and animation in this and other presentations! :) I appreciate your kind words!
@@dr.joshuacooper-arrhythmia9917hey doc, I'm getting PVCs so bad it constantly feels like someone is sitting on my chest. I also have to breathe deep to make myself feel like I'm not going to pass out. I've had two occasions where I thought I was going arrhythmic and I was being kicked in the chest repeatedly by a horse. That happened for like an hour and a half. Should I try to go for beta blockers or an ablation?
@@thatsright4194 Everybody is different, and you should talk to your doctor about treatment options. For some people, it is worth trying medications first. Beta blockers sometimes work but often don't. Antiarrhythmic medications such as flecainide often work better than beta blockers for those who are trying a medication strategy first. Catheter ablation works best in people who have relatively frequent PVCs so they can be mapped in the EP lab and successfully ablated (and also if there is one main location of pvc's rather than multiple).
@@dr.joshuacooper-arrhythmia9917 thanks for responding doctor. I also forgot to mention the two times I thought I was going arrhythmic I started to lose feeling in my arms and tingling in my face. Also my occupation is as a professional fire fighter so when I'm on shift and I get a bad episode I become basically useless.
@@thatsright4194 It sounds like your symptoms are significantly impacting your life, including your work. I would highly recommend seeing a cardiologist or EP doc, getting some heart recordings with either a prescribed heart monitor or a self-purchased heart monitor (such as Kardia mobile), and discussing a plan to treat (and hopefully eliminate) your symptoms. The arm and face symptoms are not typical of PVCs, and you should discuss those symptoms with your doctor as well. Best of luck to you and I hope you get some answers and effective treatment!
Yes, the best video in terms of being easily understood, friendly, illustrative, and reassuring. Thank you so much!
Plz keep posting such amazing informative videos!!!
Many doubts cleared in a very simple way,,,
tons of thanks!!!
Thank you so much for your kind feedback! So glad the video was helpful to you! I have so many additional topics in mind, but the clinical pressure to prioritize as much patient care activity as possible dramatically cuts into my available time to create new educational content. It'll still be coming, but slower than I'd like!
Thanks so much for taking the time to do this!
Thank you for the clear description
Thank you, doc. This video is a welcome light in the dark tunnel that is the life of many people who suffer from PVCs.
I'm glad you found it helpful. Hopefully your health care team can help bring you out of the tunnel and into the light by addressing your symptoms from PVCs!
Excellent explanation and illustration. I work for a cardiology specialty that includes electrophysiology and am a PVC and a-fib/a-flutter patient myself. I will refer new non-clinical employees to your video from now on. Thank you!
Thank you so much, so well explained, so super helpful.
I love your lectures on EP. Thank you very much Dr. Cooper.
Thank you so much for this video! This explained more than I ever expected, especially after my doctor's didn't break it down quite like this! Understanding what is actually happening is a relief in itself!
Knowledge is power. So glad this video gave you a little more understanding and control over your situation. 👍
I have always had an underlying panic disorder, but the past few months have been a nightmare for me with emotional breakdowns nearly every day. Now the past few months I have had PVC episodes at random which don’t seem to coincide exactly with “panic attacks” but I am basically stressed all day now. I swim for four hours a day on an intercollegiate sports team so I was doubtful that something was seriously wrong with my heart but it was very concerning to feel my heartbeat have a skipped beat and then a very hard beat. Thank you for the video
This is just what I needed! Thank you
Terrific explanation! Thank you. Hope you’ll do more patient videos. So helpful!
Been dealing with these on and off for several months now and have been very very worrisome. Your video along with the reassurance from the ER team that looked after me have brought me a much needed peace of mind. Thank you so much.
I'm with you. How you doing now? Mine go off and on as well.
That was a very good explanation. My cardiologist explained the PVCs using my EKG printout and I felt like I understood what he was saying. The way that you explained them, especially using the diagrams, made it even more clear. Before I understood what was happening, the PVCs were freaking me out. I have bradycardia already, so laying in bed at night and feeling like I was missing even more heart beats was causing a bit of additional stress. Knowing that I’ve been checked out, that they don’t happen enough for the doctor to be concerned about, and understanding what’s actually going on, I no longer lie awake at night waiting for the next one to hit. Thank you for sharing this helpful video with us.
So glad to hear that your cardiologist cared enough to offer an explanation. Gives me hope just knowing that some physicians care.
Thanks Joshua! This was very helpful 😊
Best description of this thank you
After watching some lecture videos (for medical students or conferences), this was a gift: Simple, clear, with good illustrations to explain a condition I recently was diagnosed with. Very well done, thank you.
I'm so happy to be of help! Thanks for the great feedback! :)
Thank you so much Dr cooper for wonderful explanation in simple words!! I m a surgeon and taking metoprolol 25 daily,,
Consumers many cardiologist but not properly informed and explained about this issue as you cleared all the doubts and worries for everyone!!!
Salute to you!!
You are great Dr. Joshua. Many thanks for the awesome video.
Best video ever ! Thankyou
thank you for this...ive been in ER all night with these doggone things...but at least I understand em now!
Glad to hear you found the video helpful! Sorry for the ER visit, but hopefully you can talk to your doctor to make sure that your heart is ok and discuss treatment options if needed. An EP doc (electrophysiologist) like myself is the specialty to look for with regard to management of PVCs that cause symptoms and/or other problems. Best of luck to you!
Thank you for this omg so helpful. I get so stressed out when I get them
Yes, PVCs can be very stressful for so many - it's worth talking to a cardiologist or EP doc about possible treatment options to help manage symptoms.
This was HUGELY helpful... omg you have no idea. Thank you!
Great explanation, never before. excellent and simple.
Thank you for the terrific explanation! I'm one of those who gets thousands of pvcs a day and have been on medication for nearly 4 years now. Scary when you can feel them over and over again....
Get ablation. I just had it yesterday. Its painless they put me to sleep. I’m so happy that I’m cured now
@@pleoana How are you doing now since the Ablation? Was it scary to have done ? My doctor wants to talk to me about it and I’m scared 😟
I've had 3 heart surgeries and now have an on-x valve... I've never been explained pvcs so well. Well done. I get it now
Thanks so much. I'm thrilled that this particular video has resonated with patients. My a.fib videos didn't seem to take off like this PVC one; maybe the a.fib videos need a makeover! :)
Excellent graphics, excellent explanation! Thanks very much.
Josh,,We need more & more
Thanks Doc! Went for an EKG this morning because of a strange/ off-rythym feeling heart beat. They told me I have PVC. (And I feel it every time!😕) Thank you for making this informative video!!
@Excelsior Simulations if you haven't seen a doc.. I suggest you do. I went to the E.R because I started getting worried when it wouldn't stop. I got a referral to a cardiologist who spent a lot of time in my first appointment explaining that I'm not in danger and not to attribute every pain, zap, or flutter to something wrong happening. I've noticed it's the worst at nighttime trying to sleep. Sometimes if I doze off I suddenly sit upward with my heart racing. Very unsettling. That feeling of shock or a sudden rush of adrenaline also sometimes accompany the fluttering. Still uncharted waters for me, but I've started getting used to the sensation in my chest and continue looking for more answers. Hope your feeling better.
Hey. Did it go away? Were mire tests necessary like an Echo or was your doctor happy to leave it be?
I got diagnosed with these 22 years ago and was scared for a long time until eventually I just learned to live with them but I definitely notice them from time to time and have figured out certain foods or activities seem to make them more common and also get regularly screened as my mom died from something called ventricular fibrillation at 25. Thank you for finally explaining this in a way I could understand!
How can you live with this. I'm thinking of suicide every day because of this
I have had them for decades, also, Chris. They got really bad this past year, very frightening. My cardiologist was indifferent so I began taking Magnesium which has helped tremendously. I am 77 and have enough other things to worry about!
@@dorothybrown8859 I’m glad your feeling better and hope all is well!
@@chrisslaunwhite685 I feel physically better, but would feel mentally better if my cardiologist showed some interest and would explain. I have seen several and all treat me the same. At least my present one orders testing (carotid scans), something that I can research on my own to understand the results. I feel doctors as a whole seem fearful to offer explanations. It's no wonder. His nurse practitioner told me I had LVH, and when I questioned him about it at my 6th month follow-up, he said I did not have LVH. I am a RN so I can understand better than perhaps the average patient, but geez!
What type of food ?
I've had these for many years! Thank you for a great explanation on this topic!
Outstanding lecture and patient reference! Thank you Dr. Cooper!
This was really helpful! Thank you!
I’ve been having troubles to being comfortable at doing exercise… I feel my heart at its fullest and I get afraid I’m forcing it to work hard so I avoid it.
I was diagnosed with PVC trigemini six years ago with a holter monitor, more than 10,000 a day and got medication for about a year with beta blockers.
Indeed… with stress I tend to trigger them again but not at the frequency as before. Last month I started to feel them again frequently and got symptoms again so I got a second holter study. I had only 12 in 24 hrs! But still… exercise is something I’m avoiding out of fear even though I love it :(
Gin Gin, i also have pvcs all day. I've done all the test and all came back ok. I'm 34. My hearts is ok and blood tests as well so my doctor prescribed me Bisoprolol 2.5mg a day and it's better. What Beta Blocker did your doctor prescribed you? I have extreme anxiety now but 3 years ago when pvcs started, i didn't gave them attention at all.
Thank you so much! This clears up any confusion I had prior to watching your video. I suffer from PVCs and have an ICD now. I've shared your video with my family to help explain my condition. If I had understood all of this 30 years ago; maybe I could've taken earlier action that would have prevented the implant.
Glad the video was helpful to you. People with PVCs generally are at low risk for life-threatening arrhythmias and as such do not need an ICD; the 2 main exceptions are 1)there is another heart condition present that both increases the risk for dangerous arrhythmias and also causes PVCs to happen, or 2)PVCs have occurred at a high frequency (at least more than 10,000-15,000 per day, which is ~10-15% of all the heartbeats) and as a result, the heart got weaker over time and a decision was made to implant a preventative ICD due to the weak heart (low ejection fraction). In scenario #2, however, the weakened heart may be able to strengthen back up if the PVCs are addressed with medication or catheter ablation; and an ICD can often be avoided if this "reversible" cause of a weakened heart is successfully addressed in a timely fashion. I wish you the best of health and thank you for the wonderful feedback!
Is this psvt.?. My mom showing all symptoms of psvt.. doctor are relating to h(high) -bp and change bp medicine but problem is same.. she gets episode..
Thank you so much for this explanation. So much more clear than any cardiologist I've seen explain it.
very well done video!
Great video! Do you have one (or on in the pipeline) on premature _atrial_ contractions? I'm interested how this differs mechanically, symptomatically, etc. I have been having PACs for last 4 months or so pretty constantly noticeable. My cardiologist linked me this video with a strong recommendation and it was truly fascinating but I would love to understand how PACs and PVCs are similar and dissimilar and your method of explanation is wonderful and clear.
I feel them less when lying down and more when my heart rate increases (exercise or even just getting up quickly after being still for some time) but otherwise I'm still on the hunt from correlating factors like caffeine etc!
Thanks for the great explanation and animations!
It's a great question! In the video, I explain why PVC beats are weaker than normal, but I don't get into full details. There are actually 3 reasons why PVC beats provide a weaker pulse:
1) The beat is early, with less time for the ventricles to fill (discussed in the video)
2) The sequence is bottom-top instead of top-bottom, so that coordination is messed up (hinted at in the video)
3) The PVC beat doesn't use the usual, specialized electrical tree to get the electrical signal everywhere at once in the ventricles to create a coordinated squeeze, and so within the ventricles themselves there is a second kind of uncoordination (not reviewed in the video)
With Premature Atrial Contractions (PACs), issues #2 and #3 above aren't happening - i.e. there *is* good coordination between top and bottom, and there (usually) *is* use of the full electrical tree and therefore good coordination within the parts of the ventricles. And so, PACs create a better squeeze than PVCs, and usually *can* be felt in the pulse as early beats, although they may still be a bit weaker due to issue #1 above. The beat after the PAC can still be a bit stronger than usual for the same reasons as after a PVC - extra time to fill the ventricles and a stronger squeeze as a result.
Like PVCs, PACs can also have a variety of causes, but often we can't find any obvious trigger or reason. They may come and go with illness, dehydration, stress, alcohol, fatigue, caffeine, some medical conditions, or have no obvious cause. If bothersome enough to warrant treatment, options of medications and catheter ablation are both available, depending on the circumstances. Talk to your doctor about your symptoms. A simple heart monitor can often be helpful to track when PACs are happening and correlate with symptoms and daily events. And sometimes PACs can be a precursor to longer arrhythmias such as atrial tachycardia or atrial fibrillation, which, if they occur, may warrant treatment from a medical perspective (whereas PACs are mostly just annoying and not medically important).
Best of luck to you and thank you for your kind comments!
-Josh
M suffering the same... It's si frustrating.. How r u doing now??? U still get them.?
@@village_life_rk I don't get them as frequently as I did during that period a few years ago. I believe the stress and anxiety of COVID and lockdowns (esp here in Melbourne) played a big part. Going to see a cardiologist and learning how normal and generally harmless they are went a long way towards quelling any anxiety around it, which in turn seems to have helped reduce their frequency/intensity.
There will still be a day here or there (maybe every couple weeks vs multiple times per hour back then) where I feel it, but I just tell myself "this is OK; it's just a feeling" and get on with my day.
I hope it improves for you! It's definitely not comfortable and makes the mind quick to jump to conclusions about what might be going wrong.
U mean you don't feel them anymore?
@@village_life_rk I still get them but far less regularly and far less intensely. What I'm saying is they stayed bad as long as I fixated on them and after accepting them they kinda just stopped. It was a self-fulfilling anxiety loop (at least in _my_ case)
I can also feel what seems to be missing heartbeats as well when I check my pulse with a finger. This is absolutely the best video on PVCs I've seen so far. Apparently I've had PVCs for years and was never able to feel them until I came down with COVID in late February where I ended up in the ER. We need smart doctors like you around here. But we get all of the dumb doctors.
Some people feel their PVCs and others do not. Yes, a "missed" beat when feeling the pulse is a strong clue that a PVC occurred. Lots of factors can cause PVCs to flare up or quiet down, including viral and other respiratory illnesses. Docs aren't really given much time to educate patients during office visits, which is why I decided to post some patient education videos for those who wished to do a little self-teaching! I'm glad you found this video to be helpful!
@@dr.joshuacooper-arrhythmia9917 high blood pressure causes etcopic beats or not ??
Thank you for this beautiful explanation, What a great understanding of disease!
Amazing video !!
I’ve been treated with pvc ablation after developing atrial fibrillation. The procedure essentially gave me my normal life back by restoring sinus rhythm in my heart. The fibrillation episodes I experienced were laying me out for 7 hours at a time, heart going like an out of control trip hammer. It was distressing and exhausting and triggered anxiety and panic attacks besides afibs. To me the ablation procedure was a gift, and I can’t thank the doctors and science behind it all enough. This video is the best I’ve seen, God bless you.
Thanks so much for sharing your experience with ablation for atrial fibrillation! So glad you got treatment and are doing well!
i guess im asking randomly but does someone know a tool to log back into an Instagram account..?
I stupidly forgot my account password. I love any tips you can offer me!
@Gregory Axton instablaster =)
@Sean Brendan Thanks for your reply. I got to the site thru google and I'm waiting for the hacking stuff now.
Looks like it's gonna take quite some time so I will reply here later with my results.
@Sean Brendan It did the trick and I actually got access to my account again. I am so happy!
Thank you so much you saved my account !
Thanks a lot for explaining Doc! Very re assuring and easy to follow.
I have been having PVCs for around 6 months now. I am certain they are more than 10000 in a day. I have calculated 15-20 extra beats per minute. I have been to 2-3 cardiac specialists, all of them recommend doing nothing. It really scares me though. I want to get the Ablation procedure done but my doctor thinks meditating and exercising should be enough. I just want to have a normal heartbeat again!
Thanks for sharing your story. A heart monitor can quantify how many PVCs occur in 24h, and a 7-14 day monitor can further demonstrate whether there are consistently more than 10,000 per day (which tends to be about the cutoff where impact on heart function may occur). In people with over 10,000 PVCs per day and evidence of a drop in heart function, and/or in people with symptomatic PVCs that warrant treatment, ablation can be highly effective. Stress reduction activities can help temporarily reduce PVCs, but I am not aware that this could be an effective substitute for more definitive suppression or elimination of PVCs.
If you are not satisfied with the advice your doc is giving, it is very appropriate to seek another opinion. Best of luck to you!
Thank you for taking the time out to reply Doc. You're truly an angel! I will look into the 7 day monitor and will get a second opinion if needed. Thank you for your kindness. Bless you Doc, bless you 🙏🏼🙂
@Autumn Rose You are likely seeing different numbers of PVCs required to cause a weak heart is for 2 main reasons:
1) Different studies used different cutoffs as a criteria as part of their study design; some used 10% or 15% or 20%, and therefore the study can only conclude yes/no based on the % PVCs they decided to study
2) Everyone is different with regard to how sensitive their heart is to PVCs. Some can have weakening of their heart from 10% PVCs over time, and others need 20-30% PVCs for their heart to weaken.
But it would be highly unusual for someone with < 10,000 per day to have PVCs result in weakening of the heart - I can't say it's impossible, but studies have not shown an association with that few PVCs and cardiomyopathy (weakening of the pumping strength of the heart). Conversely, there are people with 25,000 PVCs per day and a strong heart for years - it may be that if such people are watched for longer, they may eventually develop heart weakening. So we often get yearly ultrasounds (echocardiograms) to follow heart function over time.
Here's one good article about PVC frequency and risk of heart weakening. It's by Baman, and published in Heart Rhythm Journal in 2010. It showed that a PVC rate of 24% best predicted a risk of heart weakening, but there were people with as few as 10% who also had weakening (there was variability person to person in how many PVCs were needed to cause problems for them). Nobody below 10% PVCs in this study had effect on heart function.
https: //pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20348027/
Here is their Results summary: "A reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (mean 0.37 +/- 0.10) was present in 57 of 174 patients (33%). Patients with a decreased ejection fraction had a mean PVC burden of 33% +/- 13% as compared with those with normal left ventricular function 13% +/- 12% (P 24% best separated the patient population with impaired as compared with preserved left ventricular function (sensitivity 79%, specificity 78%, area under curve 0.89) The lowest PVC burden resulting in a reversible cardiomyopathy was 10%. In multivariate analysis, PVC burden (hazard ratio 1.12, 95% confidence interval 1.08 to 1.16; P
That really helped me understand PVC's in basic terms. Great information. Thank very much.
Thank you, very educational. Thorough and simple. Encouraging.
thanks so much for this video! i’m sure it’s helped reassure so many as it has myself. my worry is my electrical issue (pvc) causing a more serious arrhythmia such as vfib. i had an ablation for svt in 2004 that cured the rapid heartbeats i was having. i’m 38 years old and have had more frequent pvcs for maybe the past 10 years. all blood tests tests normal. however frequent multifocal pvcs. few hundred per day as recorded on 24hr holter moniter with 6 instances of trigeminy. feel every one and they just feel so unnatural and never stop being worrisome. are multifocal a sign of greater issues to come? there’s so much conflicting information i’m looking for the truth. my EP doesn’t pay much attention to me which is maybe a good thing. but he’s also not very good at explaining anything. i’m terrified of vfib. my girlfriend is an er nurse and sees cardiac arrest everyday. she says it can happen to anyone. is she misinformed? my EP says benign. my GP says i’m fine. frequent pvcs never feel fine. my ejection fraction is low normal 50-55. no other heart issues but these pvcs. also how can gastric issues affect electrical issues caused by rogue locations in the heart? that’s what confuses me too. but more so.. can these lead to vfib. i know they don’t “usually” but.. in cases of just frequent pvcs, can they?
Sorry for all your worries, hearing frightening stories from the ER! Yes, cardiac arrest can happen to anyone, but without an underlying known heart condition, that risk is very very low. Working in a hospital (especially and ER) gives one a very biased view of medical risks, as you see just the bad stuff but don't see the vastly greater number of people out there who don't need to come to the ER! Glad you have an EP doc to help interpret your situation. If you are looking for another opinion for peace of mind, it never hurts to see another EP doc to review things and hopefully come to the same conclusion. Best of luck to you!
Hello from England! thank you for this, I have been experiencing major health anxiety and this brings on lots of pvcs, my holter monitor showed a run of 4 pvcs in a row that was classed as “NSVT” I have no underlying health conditions, so I guess this is normal with anxiety? Thank you for your help in this video
Thanks so much for your comments. 2 PVCs in a row is known as a "couplet." 3 PVCs in a row is known as a "triplet." 3 or more PVCs in a row is known as "non-sustained ventricular tachycardia (NSVT)." Many PVCs in a row, lasting over 30 seconds, is known as "ventricular tachycardia (VT)." Just like single PVCs are often triggered by anxiety and other sources of adrenaline, so too are NSVT episodes. When longer and/or more frequent NSVT is seen on heart monitoring, we often look for heart conditions that could be associated with these episodes. A rare occurrence of 4 PVCs in a row, in the setting of a normal heart (assessed by an EKG, an ultrasound/echo of the heart, +/- stress test) is usually benign. Talk to your doctor about whether she/he recommends any further evaluation after your Holter monitor results. Best of luck to you!
How about 3 PACs in a row?
Thank you! This explanation was perfect.
Great explanation!
im experiencing right now
I have been having these the last month or two and they are very noticeable and freak me out. I have been to the cardiologist and wore a monitor for a week and they said my heart is ok and it’s normal to have these sometimes. I honestly think mine started after I had COVID and I strongly believe mine are COVID related. COVID can have so many effects on your body after you recover and many people will have new health issues later on, and I think this is happening to me.
With that said I also suffer from anxiety and panic and I have tons of stress lately so maybe that is also making the pvcs worse.
Anyone else that can relate?
Yeah mine started after a month of having covid.. i think covid caused different effects in our body.. I have less than one percent of PVC's but those symptoms really bothering me. While other people could have 20000 PVC's a day and feel just fine
Same here... M too suffering....m soo worried don't know how to deal with it.... How r u doing now???
@@village_life_rk still get them occasionally
@@village_life_rk still get them occasionally, I’m sure you will be fine
Amazing information, you calm be down. Appreciated
Thank you for this well done educational video.
First of all...thanks so much for this video. It's so helpful and very easily explained. I've recently (within the past year) started having PVC'S. I also have panic disorder, so it can be a vicious cycle at times. 🥴 One thing I try to remember (in case this helps anyone else suffering with anxiety and PVC'S) is that I've been told that unless I feel like I'm going to pass out or have bad chest pain, I'm most likely fine. The "skips" and strong thumps are annoying and scary, but it seems the more I brush them off, the less I have.
Thanks again for your wonderful explanation!
Thanks so much for your kind words. I'm sorry to hear about the PVCs which create anxiety, but bravo for having the insight and fortitude to gain some control over them! It can indeed be a vicious cycle of PVCs causing panic, which causes more PVCs, so anything that can break the cycle will be helpful. In this case, simply gaining some understanding about what PVCs are, why they make you feel a certain way, and how they are usually very benign, can be therapeutic by decreasing some of the fear and anxiety. Thanks for sharing your insights with me and other viewers! Best of luck to you.
Plenty of magnesium at bedtime will help in two ways...1. More restful sleep 2.reduction or elimination of PVCs.
I have the exact same problem. Anxiety and panic problems and hellacious PVCs. I hope I qualify for ablation soon.
Hey can you sleep at night
Me too! Magnesium has been helping me tremendously
Knowledge is power. I've had cardiophobia for 25 years, anxiety through the roof at periods where I have to be on anti-anxiety medications since age 17, currently on Amitriptyline 45mg for 3 months just to sleep normal due to horrible generalised anxiety/cardiophobia.
Thank you Dr! No one has explained it to me the way you did here, that rubber band example was genius! Gave me much peace of mind, mine are like 5 to10 daily but each one of them stops me in my tracks_my whole brain flips into a sense of fear, then the imagined scenario " this is a bad one! My heart's electricity might go haywire sending it into a quiver, like a bag of worms" a fatal scenario 😌
I've been popping magnesium for 8 months now trying to eradicate them. This video was extremely helpful today.
5 or 10 a day? That's it?? I have that many every minute, basically. Have for many years--try that out for size.
@@pigalow2002
Yes but you have no idea how having this coupled with anxiety disorder feels like! I have to take Amitriptyline and Valium for panic attacks.
@@azmagaref oh yes I do!!
@@pigalow2002
Unless you suffer GAD plus panic attacks, then you have no idea about the horror of living with that.
@@azmagaref I had a horrible bout of anxiety & panic attacks when I was younger-went to the ER 3 times in 2 months. I know EXACTLY what that feels like. Slept literally about an hour a night. Lost 20 pounds. In 2 months. I know.
i would call it the best video. thanks doc
stay blessed ❤
Thank you Dr. Cooper for another excellent presentation.
Thanks Rich! Come on back to Temple!!! :)
Thank you so much for explaining so effectively!
Thank you!! This was the best video I’ve found on this.
Thanks so much! I'm thrilled to hear it!! 👍
Thank you Dr. Cooper for making this video. It simplifies the subject and makes it much easier to understand. Very much appreciated!
This was by far the best video i watched on PVCs. Thank you very much for being so informative and explaining such a complex process so simply.
Thank you doctor for such beautifully explanation👍👍👍
Excellent and informative
Wow. What an excellent presentation. Thank you so much!
Glad it was helpful!
The best explanation of pvcs I’ve had! It explains it so well
Thank you so much for explaining this! None of the ER doctors I've seen over the last year or even my doctor who did my SVT ablation didn't explain it to me this well! They all just told me it's normal and not dangerous. Its given me a ton of anxiety because I kept telling them its a skipped beat and not an early beat but finally I understand why it feels like a skipped beat. You also explained why I cough sometimes when it happens which I never even really thought about before.
Thank you for this video doctor. 👍🏻
phenomenal vid!
Thank you! This was very helpful.
Awesome explanation. Thank you.
Great video
Very nice video
This was absolutely amazing. Thank you so much for explaining this so well, my textbooks were frustrating me so much!
I'm thrilled you found this useful!
Thank you. It’s a blessing that you explained what my Cardiologist should have. I understand so much more now!
Wonderful video. Thank you.
I just wanted to thank you so much for this video. I was trying to go to sleep when I had a very uncomfortable bout of PVCs that made me a bit nervous. You video was helpful in refreshing my memory about the causes and "normal" symptoms of PVCs, which I have in the past discussed with my cardiologist, which grounded me back in reality, so I feel so much more at ease now! Also your up beat calming voice really helps! Thanks for your hard work! A video on PACs would be great too. Off to take another dose of metoprolol now...
really very important ,thanks doc
Thank you so much for making this video.
My pleasure! So glad you found it helpful!
I swear you are the only doctor that explained my problem out of probably 20 who I actually visited to explain my problem. Thank You SOOOO MUCH🙏🏽
The best explanatory video ever watched
Wow, that's quite an endorsement! Thank you so much and I'm thrilled you found it helpful!
the best video ever!! now I finally really understand what PVC is...Thank you, Doctor!
This is the best video ever no Doctor understood what i was telling them about this, got my answer!!! Thank you so much!!
Dr. Cooper thank you so much for this very simple but extremely imformative video. Now I understand what is happening to my heart, I was diagnosed with PVC, thank you so much.
Thank you for this crystal clear explanation of PVCs.
Best video regarding this subject. 💯
Thanks so much!! Glad you found it helpful.