Re: PVC's

Posted By CCF  CARDIO MD - CRC on July 21, 1998 at 11:01:32:

In Reply to: PVC's posted by Sherry on July 21, 1998 at 09:43:07:






I just received a call from my doc about the results of my heart halter test.  ALOT of PVC's are showing up.  I had an EKG about 5 months ago (before I was put on high blood pressure medication) and no PVC's showed up.  Now, after three months on cardura (now off) and a month on Zestril 10mg., I am showing lots of PVC's.  Could the medication be causing these?  I have an appt. with a cardiolgist next Monday (27th), but was hoping for some answers before then.  Should I be more worried than I am?  Should I quit exerting myself with exercise until I see the cardiologist?   Thanks in advance for your comments.  I really am glad that you have this webpage available .
Sherry
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Dear Sherry,
Q: Could the medication be causing these?  
A: No.
Q: Should I quit exerting myself with exercise until I see the cardiologist?
A: No.
Thank you for your question.  We get many questions about PVCs and you can find previous answers on this web site.  Below is a brief summary of what a PVC is, what causes them and the treatment (if any) for PVCs.  You can find additional information in an article in New England Journal of Medicine, May 7, 1998, Vol. 338, pages 1369-1374. Your local medical library will have a copy of this.  Hope this helps.
    PVCs (premature ventricular contractions) are "extra" heartbeats occurring out of sync with the normal regular rhythm of the heart.  PVCs may cause no symptoms at all or may be felt as a "irregular" heartbeat or as the sensation of a "hard heartbeat".  PVCs  are common findings in persons with otherwise normal hearts, in which case the prognosis is excellent and there is no decrease at all in life expectancy.  On the other hand, they may indicate that there is an underlying abnormality of the heart muscle (from any number of reasons).  If there is an abnormality, then the prognosis and treatment depends upon the specific problem of the heart.  The usual evaluation of PVCs is a history, physical examination, and electrocardiogram (ECG).  Also your doctor may wish to check an ultrasound of the heart.  If all those tests are normal, then you would fall into the category of people who have PVCs but otherwise no underlying heart problem. In that case, treatment depends on how much the PVCs bother you. If they are essentially asymptomatic, then no treatment is required. If they bother you, then a medication called a "beta-blocker" may reduce the frequency of the PVCs. PVCs cant be "cured", but the medication can decrease their frequency. The potential side effects of beta-blockers are tiredness, impotence in men and breathing difficulties in individuals with underlying lung disease.  Be sure to discuss these issues with your doctor and under no circumstance should you take medications for the heart without the supervision of a doctor.
Below are some web sites with additional information about PVCs.
http://www.amhrt.org/Heart_and_Stroke_A_Z_Guide/prevent.html
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/nhlbi/cardio/other/gp/arrhyth.htm

Information provided here is for general educational purposes only. Only your doctor can provide specific diagnoses and treatments. If you would like to be seen at the Cleveland Clinic, please Call 1 - 800 - CCF - CARE for an appointment at Desk F15 with a cardiologist