PVCs

[kaj54]

53 year old male, otherwise healthy. Had 2 stents inserted in heart arteries almost 20 months ago.
Exercise vigorously 5-6 days per week (HR at 80-100%), no symptoms, no pain, no PVCs, etc.

About a year ago I started getting palpitations, lasted for a few months, then went. Came back 6 months later for 2-3 months and went. came back a few months ago. irregular patterns,usually only get 1 here or there, maybe once or twice a day a cluster of them; some days none. appear more frequently with anxiety. My doctor doesn't seem concerned. but i have gotten into a viscious circle of worrying about them, that producing more, worrying more about them, getting really anxious. sometimes when i get one, they set off a bit of panic.

current BP is 115/70, cholestrol readings are good.

i've read all kinds of website info on them and they always say "in otherwise healthy people, nothing to worry about." well, i am generally healthy except i did have blocked arteries and obviously have to watch my cholestrol, BP, etc.

i have become so worried and anxious and it's hard to settle down. now i feel it's affecting my sleep (not the PVCs but the worrying about them).

what can i do?

[Cleveland Clinic]

Check an echocardiogram to make sure your heart function is normal and wear an event monitor to rule out any arrhythmia.   If both are normal then you really do qualify into the relatively normal patient category.  In that situation you should not be concerned about those extra beats, however, since you are very symptomatic you should be on therapy for them. I am assuming that you take a beta blocker given that you have CAD, therefore, increasing your dose would be the first step.  Adding one an additional agent may sometimes be necessary.  Switching to longer acting agent may also help.  Most of the time these symptoms are more annoying than actually a sign of something dangerous.