Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
Avatar universal

extra heart beats

Hi,
I have a loop monitor on at the moment because of being dizzy and lightheaded with palpitations, skipping beats, or fluttering feelings. So far they have gotten that I have I think it was pac's (I think they said that was extra heartbeats). I know pvc's can be dangerous if you have too many but can pac's be dangerous as well and when is it dangerous?  How many have to be caught on the monitor before it is considered dangerous and can anything be done about it. I have cardiomyopathy and am on 2 different beta blockers (toprol xl and coreg) plus accupril, lasix,potassium chloride, and aspirin. My doctor said he doesn't know what else to do medically to help with my condition, he can't put me on any higher dose of beta blockers. Any suggestions to bring up at my next appointment? Thank you.
17 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
Avatar universal
Oliver,

Thanks for the post.

PACs are generally considered benign, in patients with or without cardiomyopathy.  They can cause a problem in some persone due to the potential for initiation of atrial fibrillation.  I know of no number of PACs where I would suddenly become concerned, but more than 8 - 10 per minute, consistently, would be a lot.

The treatment of PACs can be difficult, mostly because one has to weigh the risk benefit-ratio of treatment.  Coreg is a fine first choice for therapy.  Other alternative therapies can be tried, and might include yoga, bio-feedback, stress-control, etc.

Good luck.


Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi, I'm a 46 year old male who has experienced his second bout of Afib in the last four years. The most recent one was corrected with electric shock at 200 jewels. Apparently this was the full shot they could give me. Can anyone share any info on previous expereinces and what happened afterwards? Did the electric shock have to be done again? Was there a regiment of drugs prescribed? What steps were taken in health , diet , rest exercise to eliminate this condition?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi Oliver, this is not an answer or a comment, and I apologize for that.  I have been trying to post a question on the forum for about three weeks now, I have tried pretty much every hour of the day and never seem to be able to post - could you tell me approximately what time you posted (and what time zone) so that I could try around that time?  Thank you!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I've found it fairly easy to post a question around 9:30/10:00 AM Central time.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thank you, I will keep trying!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
living in the east I find around 8-9 am to be a good time to try.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi,

Oliver wrote that anyone has  pvc's can be dangerous if he has too many.
Is this true or false?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
HI, I have had extra hard heart beats, almost all the time, so I went and they adjusted my pace maker.  Will this have to be done often?  I did not think to ask them.  I had to have a pace maker due to OVERACTIVE THYROID. They destroyed my thyroid.  So now I am on beta blocker, BETAPACE. Thanks, Thelma
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Oliver, I have PVC's  almost daily for many years now, was told by my cardiologist that they are benign.  I also get short runs of Atrial Flutters, also benign.  Very scary, but I learned to live with them.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I have tried to post for more than three months and can never post....Is it always set to allow it at the same time?I try constantly in the morning before work and almost all evening long some nites...9-10 am pretty much knocks you out if you go to work and work all day...Thats a bad time...
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi,

Thank you for your comment and your advice.I have had PVCs almost all the time for more than twinty years ago.Illearned     with them
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi,

Thank you for your comment and your advice.I have had PVCs almost all the time for more than twinty years ago.Illearned     with them
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi,

Thank you for your comment and your advice.I am 38 years old and I have had almost 11,000 PVC daily for twinty years,so from that time I am on Beta blocker.I came on here tonight looking for info about PVC's, I had  especially bad nights  with them,but I learned to live with them.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I'm feeling guilty that I've lucked out and gotten so many questions in here! I agree that the mornings -- 9 - 10 a.m. have been the best times to try to post questions for the docs.

Good luck!

Lynn
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi, I just wanted to mention that I also have a lot of PVC's throughout the day, I haven't done the math yet to figure out how many it adds up to, but sometimes, I have them every 5 beats or so, and I very rarely don't have them.  I have just sort of learned to live with them at this point.  When I first started getting them, it was only a few a day, and that made me really nervous, I'm come far since then, now having them all the time, and just kind of getting used to this jumping in my chest.  I have had lots of different tests, and they seem to be benign.  I was also wondering about the frequency, though, and at what point they could become dangerous.  I just figure that I would be dead by now if having them alot was dangerous, so it gets easier to live with.  I was wondering about the aspirin thing also, my doctor put me on one aspirin a day a few years ago when I had a short episode of atrial fib.  I was wondering if you should also be on aspirin if you are getting lots of PVC's.  Do you know if frequent PVS's also increase your chance of stroke like atrial fib does?  I worry about that sometimes since I get them so often.  There has really been nothing to blame these on, other than maybe a hormonal thing, since I started getting them in my thirties, and am now 43, and they seem to get much worse during certain times of the month.  It's hard to tell now, though, since I get them so often.  I have them as I sit here, probably one every 10 beats or so.  I don't get any other symptoms with them.  Anyway, thanks for this board, it's been a huge help!!  Valerie
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
...my god, you really are nervous...!
Helpful - 0

You are reading content posted in the Heart Disease Forum

Popular Resources
Is a low-fat diet really that heart healthy after all? James D. Nicolantonio, PharmD, urges us to reconsider decades-long dietary guidelines.
Can depression and anxiety cause heart disease? Get the facts in this Missouri Medicine report.
Fish oil, folic acid, vitamin C. Find out if these supplements are heart-healthy or overhyped.
Learn what happens before, during and after a heart attack occurs.
What are the pros and cons of taking fish oil for heart health? Find out in this article from Missouri Medicine.
How to lower your heart attack risk.