Beta Blockers for PVC's

Does anyone know if taking beta blockers for PVC's can help prevent them from turning into v-tach or v-fib since they slow the HR?

[dquenzer]

The simple answer is no.  Beta blockers slow the heart down.  They might reduce the number of PVC's, but do not cure anything or prevent the onset of arrythmias. That would take a different class of drugs.

PVC's typically do not lead to other arrythmias.  Everybody has them.  Some just feel them more than others.

If you have PVCs and you are worrying about ventricular arrythmias then I would forget about it; especially if you don't have heart disease.

[anacyde]

I agree with the prior comment.  PVCs that break down into more serious ventricular arrhythmias are almost always associated with a structural heart problem or coronary artery disease.  PVCs in a structurally normal heart are just PVCs.  Annoying, even frightening for some, but still just PVCs.  Beta blockers are often used to diminish the sensation of the ectopic beats but generally don't have a direct effect on the actual PVC frequency/etc.

Even shorts runs of ventricular tachycardia typically aren't something to be overly concerned with in a normal heart, as recently posted over in the doctor/moderated forum.

Try not to worry too much ;)

[CollegeGirl143]

Your pvc's are not going to "turn into an ahrrythmia" Unless you have the electrical or structural abnormalities needed for an ahrrythmia

And yes actually, beta blockers are very effective in treating virtually all cardiac related electrical disturbances..

I urge everyone who considers posting a question for the doctor to review the forum archives first.. Pvc's have been beat to death here. Unless someone has a specific question, reguarding his or her treatment, there is really no question about pvc's that hasnt already been addressed multiple times.. We also have a heart support forum where you can go to for patient to patient support. Thank you all in advance for your consideration towards others trying to ask non pvc related questions.

[CollegeGirl143]

Whoops!! i had the wrong forum.. Omit that last part and thank you for asking that question here instead of on the other forum! Its nice to see that consideration towards others.

[kitcurious]

Actually, beta blockers are not all that effective at "curing" palpitations though they do reduce the frequency/sensations in some people. People with serious rhythym disturbances (not the simple PVCs that everyone has)have other, more powerful drugs available to them, but some of those aren't all that hot either and have the side-effect of possibly causing arrhythmias.  
Ablation is a good option for the rare person whose profile indicates they would  benefit from it, but those people either have a dangerous electrical disturbance and or many thousands of incidents a day.

Exercise is really the best stress reliver.

[kitcurious]

Also the previous advice from collegegirl was good. If you want to read about PVCs there are indeed probably days and days worth of entries to read in the archives on this forum.

[sb786]

Hi,
its a relief to read the msg posted by anacyde, that pvcs are benign in a normal heart and don't turn into a serious ventricular arryhthmia unless there is a structural problem with the heart or CAD.
However, after reading collegegirl's posting i'm a little worried:

Collegegirl writes "Your pvc's are not going to "turn into an ahrrythmia" Unless you have the electrical or structural abnormalities needed for an ahrrythmia"

Now, i'm new to all this i have recently just been diagnosed with SVT and pvcs. I'm not 100% sure what SVT actually is but i do know it is something to do with an "electrical abnormalty" that causes my heart to go into a fast rhythm. so does that mean my pvcs could develop into a ventricular rhythm even though i was told by my cardiologist i only have svt which is not life threatening?

[sb786]

Hi kitcurious, i was happy with what my docs and cardiologists have told me and that is that i have svt and suffer from pvcs which i do not need to worry about.

the only thing that i am wondering about is what collegegirl meant by: "Your pvc's are not going to "turn into an ahrrythmia" Unless you have the electrical or structural abnormalities needed for an ahrrythmia" i'm just wondering what she meant by electrical anormalities because there are alot of us who suffer from svt and pvcs. Svt is when a 'short circuit' in the electrical pathways of the heart develop.

[kitcurious]

Your cardiologist has seen your studies and knows more about your results than anyone here could. If you do not feel satisfied you should seek a second opinion.

[CollegeGirl143]

sb, svt usually does not "Develope", .. Patients are usually born with an electrical re-entry loop, or some kind of bridge, or have some kind of scarring present... People are constantly worried that PVC's will turn into VT, but this simply is not the case.. If you look up VT in the archives, you will see what i am talking about being explained by the forum doctor..Vt depends on certain things to be able to be sustained. Ahrrythmias dont just happen, unlike palpitations. i hope this helps.

[CollegeGirl143]

sorry, i missed the first question.. If you have SVT, there are a few different kinds, and you should urge your doctor to let you know which kind you have, so you can better understand it.. with SVT, the electrical abnormality is above the ventricles.. Your svt will not turn into vt because your problem is not in the ventricles.. SVT is indeed not life threatning in a structurally normal heart.. If you have had an echo, ide say all systems go and time to relax.. Ide consider treatment with a beta blocker if u alraedy arent.

[sb786]

Thanks! my doc THINKS i may have AVNRT but he's not sure. Assuming its AVNRT does that still mean the problem is still above the ventricles? my cardiologists and docs tell me not to stress beacause i've had all tests done such as echo etc and they all show my heart is normal. i just worry about the pvcs. i've been told they can trigger the svt (don't understand how) but i worry that they may trigger VT. i'm not on any beta blockers though my docs want me to try zebeta/bisopropol. i'm just afraid that they may lower my already low bp (95-100/55-60) and low resting rate (50-55bpm) perhaps i'm just being over paranoid as usual!!

[CollegeGirl143]

AVNRT is short for av node re-entry tachycardia.. It means that you have a re-entry loop near your av node, which is above the ventricles.. Heres a simple breakdown.. You have an extra electrical pathway near the normal one, and its in the shape of a loop, in the top part of the heart, sometimes the impluse from the AV node, goes down the extra looping pathway instead of the normal one.. When this happens, its called SVT, it cannot "just switch" the ventricles.. palpitations can sometimes trigger it, because premature beats are more like to travel down the extra looping pathway than the normal one..

The only way you're going to find out if the beta blockers help or not is to take them.. Even if they do lower your BP or heart rate too much, the body has ways of compensating, so its not going to be a hurtful event, just an uncomfortable one. Have you ever considered ablation? its a cure and its over 98% effective in cases of AVNRT

[sb786]

thanks collegegirl! wow you seem to know alot! i'm too scared of ablation at the moment i just want to be able to control the svt with meds and go back to living a normal life. some people say that the beta blockers help them with svt by lower the rate and length of the attack and even preventing them but some people say they don't work. I'm new to all this cos i've just recently been diagnosed with svt and pvcs so i haven't really got a clue where to begin :)

[CollegeGirl143]

Thats the thing about beta blockers, for some people they can stop attacks entirely, for others, they will help decrease the intensity, and for others they do absolutely nothing.. If beta's dont work, you can also try a calcium channel blocker like cardizem.. Its not good to be on drugs forever though. I know ablation sounds really scary! but really its all in your mind.. Ablations are safer than having your tonsils removed! And its usually a forever cure.. Svt only comes back in 2% of cases, and there is only a 1% chance of complications from the ablation (usually some type of bleeding from the insertion sight,and is not life threatening).  If the time comes for you to begin to consider it, take your time and find out as much info as you can and make your own decision. Good luck!!!