premature arterial contractions

Posted by Victoria on April 29, 1999 at 16:30:20
What are they and how do they relate to pvc's?  What are causes and cures?

Posted by CCF CARDIO MD - MTR on April 30, 1999 at 13:17:09
Dear Victoria, thank you for your question.  PAC's (premature atrial contractions) are a benign problem.  The heart rhythm is interrupted every so often by an "extra" heartbeat that causes the rhythm to reset after a compensatory pause that occurs after the premature beat.  This pause is often perceived by someone as a "skipped" beat, but in reality, no heartbeats are truly skipped.  Premature beats can originate from the atrial chambers (PAC's) or from the ventricles (premature ventricular contractions - PVC's).  Common causes of premature beats include alcohol, tobacco, and caffeine.  Most often, premature beats are a benign condition, but should initially be investigated by a physician if there is any concern.
I hope you find this information useful.  Information provided in the heart forum is for general purposes only.  Only your physician can provide specific diagnoses and therapies. Please feel free to write back with additional questions.  Good luck.
If you would like to make an appointment at the Cleveland Clinic Heart Center, please call 1-800-CCF-CARE or inquire online by using the Heart Center website at www.ccf.org/heartcenter.   The Heart Center website contains a directory of the cardiology staff that can be used to select the physician best suited to address your cardiac problem.