Underlying Illness?

[reva]

Dear Dr:
   How often is some underlying illness that is not known to the patient found to be the cause of pvcs?  Can any disease cause them that affects the chemistry of the heartbeat>?
COuld you elaborate if so?
   Thanks,
   Reva

[CCF CARDIO MD - DLB]

Prior heart attacks or cardiomyopathy can cause PVCs. However, most people with symptomatic PVCs have nothing wrong with their heart that can be identified by extensive testing. In these cases, the PVCs are called benign. Caffeine and stress are common precipitants of abnormal electrical activity that results in PVCs.

[marie]

Then what does cause the PVC's?????  Why do these occur??

Marie

[zzzz]

1.  An small abnormal point of electrical impulse (focci) triggers out of sequence beats.
2.  Over-stimulation from catecholamines (adrenalin etc.)
3.  "Stress" - ranging from emotional worry, flu, heat, cold, dehydration etc. etc etc.

[CCF CARDIO MD - DLB]

Almost never. In patients also at risk for heart disease, testing is usually performed to identify underlying heart disorders. Even in these circumstances, any heart disease that is discovered is often incidental and not really causing the PVCs.