Premature Ventricular Contractions

What Is a Premature Ventricular Contraction?

A premature ventricular contraction (PVC) is an extra heartbeat that begins in one of the heart's two lower pumping chambers (ventricles). PVCs disrupt the regular heart rhythm, sometimes causing a skipped heartbeat sensation or fluttering in the chest. A common type of irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia), PVCs are also called premature ventricular complexes, ventricular premature beats and ventricular extrasystoles.

Occasional PVCs in people without heart disease typically don’t require treatment. People who have frequent PVCs, PVCs that cause bothersome symptoms, or PVCs and an underlying heart condition may require treatment.

Premature Ventricular Contraction Symptoms

PVCs often cause few or no symptoms. For some people, the extra heartbeats can cause unusual sensations in the chest, including:

• Fluttering
• Pounding or jumping
• Skipped beats or missed beats
• Increased awareness of the heartbeat

What Causes Ventricular Atrial Contractions?

Several conditions or factors can lead to PVCs, including:

• Electrolyte imbalances (for example, too little or too much potassium or magnesium in your blood).
• Heart attack (myocardial infarction).
• Heart failure.
• High adrenaline resulting from anxiety or stress.
• Reduced blood flow to your heart due to coronary artery disease or other causes.

How Are Ventricular Contractions Diagnosed?

To diagnose PVCs, your healthcare provider performs a physical examination and asks you questions about medical history and your lifestyle.

Tests used to confirm a PVC diagnosis include:

• Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG): A diagnostic tool that records your heart’s electrical activity on a graph. An ECG can detect slow, fast or otherwise abnormal heart rhythms.
• Patch monitor: A portable version of an ECG, a patch monitor is a large adhesive patch that contains several electrodes. It can be worn on the chest to provide two weeks of nonstop heart monitoring.
• Cardiac event monitor: This device is intended to be worn for up to 30 days or until it captures an irregular heart rhythm (arrhythmia) or symptoms. You usually press a button when symptoms occur. Some event monitors automatically sense and record irregular heartbeats.
• Exercise stress test: In this test, you’re attached to an ECG while you run on a treadmill or pedal on a stationary bike. The test can help determine if exercise triggers PVCs.

Treatment for Ventricular Atrial Contractions

Most people with PVCs who don't have heart disease don’t need treatment. If you have heart disease, PVCs can cause more serious heart rhythm problems. Treatment depends on the underlying cause. If you have frequent or bothersome PVCs, your doctor may recommend any of the following treatments:

• Lifestyle changes: Eliminating certain known PVC triggers, such as caffeine or tobacco, can reduce the frequency of PVCs and reduce symptoms.
• Medication: Blood pressure medications such as beta blockers and calcium channel blockers may be prescribed to reduce your PVCs. Other drugs may be prescribed if you have a type of irregular heartbeat called ventricular tachycardia or if you have frequent PVCs that interfere with heart function.
• Catheter ablation: If lifestyle changes and medication don't relieve your PVCs, a catheter ablation procedure may be done. In this procedure, a thin, flexible tube (catheter) is guided through an artery, usually in the groin, to the heart, without cutting your skin. Sensors on the catheter receive signals from your heart that help your doctor identify abnormal heart rhythm. Once the critical area is located, heat (radiofrequency ablation) or extreme cold (cryoablation) is applied to create scar tissue to stop the abnormal signals that are causing the extra heartbeats.