Daily PVC's

I have done so much reading and see the PVC's and PAC's are normal heart activity.  It always reads that everyone gets "rare" or "occasional" PVC's and PAC's.  I would like your definition of "rare" or "occasional".

I sometimes get one a minute and sometimes get one an hour and sometimes get one a day?  I am just looking for the definition of this.  I think that even one an your is a lot but see others get many more than this.  Could you please clarify what you would consider this?

Also can you tell me if you were holter 100 people for a 24 hour period if 100% of these people would have some sort of PVC's or PAC's or ectopic beats during the day?  I have been told I have a normal heart and just feel these out of place beats.  I don't know who wouldn't feel them when your heart just stops and then restarts.  It is just such an awful feeling and find it difficult to beleive that everyone gets these.  I have talked to a lot of my friends and they don't feel their hearts beating strange at all.  This is just making me crazy!

[CCF HeartMD6]

Here is a reference to a study regarding the prevalence of PVC's

Prevalence of premature ventricular contractions in a population of African American and white men and women: the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study. Simpson RJ Jr, Cascio WE, Schreiner PJ, Crow RS, Rautaharju PM, Heiss. Am Heart J. 2002;143(3):535.

Some of the relevant highlights are the following:

Overall prevalence of any PVCs on a two minute ECG was approximately 6 percent; the prevalence of more frequent or complex PVCs (multiformed, couplets, or nonsustained ventricular tachycardia) was approximately 3 and 0.8 percent, respectively.

PVCs were more frequent in men than women, in African-Americans compared to whites, and in those with organic heart disease.

The prevalence of PVCs increased with age (34 percent increase for each five year increment in age) and in the presence of other factors, such as faster sinus rate, hypokalemia, hypomagnesemia, and hypertension.

Otherwise, PVCs in the absence of symptoms or structural heart disease are usually benign and left untreated. If you feel like you are having a significant amount of irregular heart beats and/or are having significant symptoms, you should have a further evaluation by a medical professional. ECG, Holter monitor, etc. are some of the studies that can be performed to evaluate a sensation of palpitations or irregular heart beats.

[is_something_wrong]

Just a comment: I'm curious because I've never seen a doctor provide an actual number. But I guess there aren't a number, it's a bit like asking how many times through a day it's normal to feel a little sting in the head or to scratch your skin. It's not normal pr say, but we all do it/feel it so it's considered a benign normal phenomenon.

The attention and fear causes you to notice them. Earlier years I heard the BP monitor do a double beep or I felt a skipped beat now and then while checking my pulse. Never noticed anything. After my fear of them started I notice them.

The doctor will probably give you a number but one article I've read said 70% of normal men had PACs and 45% had PVCs through 24 hours. Definitions, from what I know, depends on the Holter software. I'm sure the dr will answer that too. I'm a bit curious so looking forward to his reply.

Take care:)

[RavenOma]

I've had PVC's for 28 years (since I was 24 years old), and they started off very rarely happening (for me, that was every month or so, but my cardiologist said that I could have had them more frequently, but didn't notice them). However, after menopause they really became a nuisance and started happening more frequently.

Over the last 8-10 years (through peri and post-menopause) I noticed that they served as a flag for me in terms of my health. They became more frequent and more pronounced when I was stressed, didn't get enough sleep, had a cold or fever (especially fever), etc.

I mentioned this to family docs and was referred to a couple of cardiologists over the years and they all told me the same thing you are hearing - "it's nothing, you need to forget it and they'll go away, etc." I finally found a very good family doc and when I mentioned it to her, she said I should go see a cardiologist that specializes in electrophysiology.

Cardio Electrophysiologists focus entirely on the electrical issues in your heart - arrhythmias of all types. I found one in my area and he is WONDERFUL. The first thing he did was have my magnesium level tested and it turned out to be the lowest he'd ever seen. Apparently, low magnesium levels can cause arrythmias, so I am on oral magnesium supplements (under his supervision) and the PVC's are much less frequent and less pronounced.

If your gut is telling you that you need to address these issues, you are right. Don't let anyone tell you that there is nothing wrong with you if you really feel that something is wrong. Keep looking until you find the right doctor to listen to your concerns and dig for the answers that will help you.

RavenOma