PVCs with exercise?

Hi all,

I am 41 and have had PVCs for about 20 years. Have had several cardiac workups (the last about 4 years ago) and was always given a clean bill of health and told they are benign. In the last few months instead of being random they come frequently every time I exercise. Even riding a bike causes them to begin. They stop as soon as I stop exerting myself. No weakness or anything--just annoying as usual.  Is this cause for concern? This is a new symptom.

[Bromley]

It is not a cause for acute concern, but I think you should see your doctor about this. Exercise induced irregularities require assessment by a professional.  With your age and history, chances are you have nothing to worry about.

[is_something_wrong]

The answer is a bit "yes and no".

First, do you know that your premature beats during exercise are PVCs?

PVCs (not PACs) that increase during exercise can have causes that should be investigated further, or in other words, they can be a stronger predictor of heart disease than PVCs at rest. However, if you start to get afraid of exercise and have this in mind every time you exercise, adrenaline can trigger loads of PVCs, and in that case, it's nothing to worry about. I have exercise-induced PACs, and I know adrenaline is the trigger for them (they go away if I count from 400 backwards or something)

I think you should see a doctor for this, and he will possibly refer you to a stress EKG test. Then you'll get an objective evaluation; how many premature beats, their origin (atrial or ventricular), and possibly their cause.

[itdood]

The medical attitude about exercise and PVCs has changed a bit in recent years.  The thinking used to be that exercise should suppress PVCs, this was preferred.  Now "recovery" PVCs are getting more attention.  These are PVCs that happen after you stop exercising and your heart rate is coming down.  There was a study done in 2008 on recovery PVCs.

I haven't seen much research into PVCs that happen during exercise.  I don't think there's much knowledge on what this might mean long or short term.

I've gotten PVCs here and there while exercising.  It's been episodic for me, meaning they come and go.  I might get them for a a few weeks or months then they go away (while exercising).  I too never got them while exercising until I hit my 40s, but that doesn't mean it's age related...

Overall though, the data for PVCs in normal hearts is that it does not lead to complications down the road, during exercise or not...

[mamakaren]

Thanks everyone--These are not due to adrenaline or anxiety--in fact I forget about the PVCs until I start exercising and then I remember--oh yeah, this keeps happening. I don't know if they are PVCs or PACs. They do feel kind of fluttery and "high up" if that makes sense. But since I have been diagnosed with benign PVCs in the past, and have them frequently througout the day evey day I assumed that's what they were. I will make an appointment with the doctor. Thanks again.

[Mom2four85]

Have you had an exercise stress test done? If not, ask about one just to make sure it's not something to be concerned about - they can even do an Echo right after to check your heart further.