PVC's - Heart evaluation needed? By whom?

[KLT]

I have always had what I now know are frequent but harmless PVC's. Usually fairly isolated but occasionally in short runs. I had never seen a doctor for them, but had raised the issue in other exams and been reassured they're normal.  Last week they settled in as a completely irregular heartbeat, with the feeling of no regular rhythm at all for two days. On the third day, Saturday, I went to the nearby immediate care clinic for evaluation. By the time I got to the clinic the pattern had returned to normal with only occasional palpitations. The doctor did catch a few runs of irregular beats when he first listened to my heart, so ordered a EKG.  Most of the time I was there, I had a normal heart rhythm, although they did catch a few runs of PVC's (just minutes long)after I attempted to raise my heart rate.  The doctor said I had random patterns of bigeminy, trigeminy and quadgeminy.  He said that was harmless but a bit unusual -- he thought most people who have long runs of PVC's, usually settle into one pattern or another (bi- tri- or quad-geminy.) He ordered tests of my electrolytes, magnesium, calcium, postassium - all normal.  He, of course, suggested follow up this week with my doctor. My questions: 1)Is that really necessary if I'm a healthy athletic 40-yr old? 2)If so, should it be directly with a cardiologist? (I hate to pay for a visit with my regular doctor only to be referred on.) 3) Should I wait for another irreglar pattern? 4) My BP was 102/70, down from 120/70 a week earlier when I had my annual exam. Is that just a normal variation or could it be related?

[Momto3]

From what I understand, bigeminy is when every 2nd beat is irregular; trigeminy is when every 3rd beat is irregular; and quadrigeminy is when every 4th beat is irregular.  A couplet is when 2 beats in a row are irregular and a triplet is when 3 beats in a row are irregular.  I believe 3 or more is termed a "run".  hope that helps

[wmac]

First off what is quad???? My understanding is that a run of three pvcs in a row with normal beats inbetween or more is v-tach!!! theres only singles or couplets then v-tach. My electrophisyologist is very adament about this isnt quad four or five?

[nikl]

Please read post on palpitations I posted earlier under nikl on 6/26, maybe this will help someone with these.

[debigriffs]

I have been cruising this forum for about a week and am confused as can be - even frightened - by some of the conflicting information I see. Maybe someone can help...

I am a 46 year old healthy female except for (what I now know to be) PVCs/PACs that cropped up in March and diagnosed via Holter and stress echo in April. When I went for my stress echo I grilled the tech - he said a positive sign is when, during excercise, the frequency of PVCs/PACs decrease. Mine did - I felt relief. I was told that PVCs/PACs are benign and to exercise daily. So, once every day (I haven't missed a day since my diagnosis) I lace up my tennies and go for a brisk 2 mile walk (~4mph) for about 30 minutes. It is refreshing as well as helps to decrease the PVC/PAC activity. Some days when the PVCs/PACs are every couple of beats I will even go for an extra walk just to slow them down. Some days though I spend a lot of time on the couch as they sort of take my breath away and make me feel out of sorts. Having PVCs/PACs every couple of beats for hours on end feels exhausting.

I recently read in one of these forums that excercising with PVCs/PACs is bad! ACK!! I was told it was OK and that these were benign!!! What is the real truth about PVCs/PACs & exercise?

I was also at my chiropractor's office last week and on my way out the door, the other chiropractor in his office said, "too bad about the arrythmias Debi - now you'll have to watch out for throwing a clot!" No one at my cardiologists told me this! Is this true??? Are PVCs/PACs synonomous with arrythmias?

I just want to get back to living a normal life! Just don't know what the facts are, and now I am afraid to lace up and go for my walk! What to do???

[Barbara]

Well put Luke.  It's nice to know that others actually know how these things feel.  Doctors sure don't.

[LUKE22]

Im new here but have been reading the PVC posts for about a month now and I sure wish this site had been available back in 1979 when my first PVC's started.Ive been through just about everything posted here.Emergency room trips,several doctors,EKG's,stress tests,monitors,echo's,xrays,bio feedback,medication,etc.,only to find out other than a slight MVP that all is well. You guys know all about the blank stares you get when your trying to explain the feelings we get to someone who just doesnt understand right?? Well its been one hell of a road and after 33 years of this,what I call "demons dancing on my soul",Im still here! What I have learned is that after all the tests, most of us are physically sound but its our electrical system thats screwed up. I also believe that,depression,anxiety,and panic attacks are related to this.Medication and relaxation helps but the skips,pauses,thumps,flutters always return and until someone discovers a miracle cure for us we are told its nothing to worry about and to just go on with our lives.Easier said than done!! Sometimes I can ignore it and sometimes its like every skip releases a drop of panic or fear in me.Anyway for me I stay very busy planning way more than I can actually do everyday to keep my mind off of ME,take my medication,and finally just get mad as hell at it and tell myself it will not ruin my life! So just remember as bad as it is there are thousands of people out there that would trade their illness for our "dancing demons"!!! "My armor is weathered and dented yet I still draw my sword for the battle within".