How many are to much ?

[martinlee43a]

How many PACs are to much ? I have sometimes 1 every minute for around 5-10 minutes, and have not had them at all for 36 hours. They are makeing me scard.

Lee

[upbeat633]

Well, in the setting of a "structurally normal heart", I've been told by an electrophysiologist that no matter the number, no matter the pattern, pvcs, (pacs) are benign. He said that a person can go on indefinitely in a pattern called bigeminy, a normal heart beat followed by a pvc.

However, there is a rare occurrence in which high frequency pvcs, over a long period of time, can lead to an enlargement of the heart. But, I've had pvcs for 27 years mostly around 10,000/day. In the last 4 years that doubled and now I have them in the frequency of 20 to 30,000/day. Last echo still showed "structurally normal heart".

I hope that answers your question? Have you had any tests done to measure your rhythm (ekg or holter monitor) or check the integrity of your heart (echocardiogram)?

[Momto3]

Hi Marie,

You are not alone!!  You will find great comfort among your new cyber friends : )

Many of us have been right where you are.....thinking that this can NOT be normal and surely, something is very wrong.  Fortunately, we were wrong and we are fine : )

Welcome to the forum!  We're here whenever you need/want to talk.

Connie

[marie333]

I have been reading all the posts about pacs/pvc/missed beast and ectopic heart beats, I am so glad I found this site, it has helped me immensely, I fee much better and I am not as stressed about my ectopic heart beats, I used to worry and be so scared of dying when all the beats happened in my chest that I would bring the missed beats on. Thankyou to this site I have stopped drinking coffee, coke, and other stimulants, I eat smaller meals, and am on antidepressents for the anxiety/panic attacks which used to be a curse on a daily basis. I feel so reassured reading all the different posts, I get up in the morning, and read the posts just to reassure myself I am not alone worrying about my heart, and the many pvc I get.
Thankyou to all
Marie

[marlinspike]

I was told mine required no treatment (this was 4 years ago), but worrying about them gave me masses of anxiety, panic attacks, I was almost agoraphobic at times. It is hard not to worry when you can feel them in your chest. However, many times on these forums I have seen doctors respond that in a structurally normal heart these things are not dangerous. If you doctor was concerned he would have offered you maybe beta-blockers to start with. If you have been thoroughly tested then you should be fine - work on the anxiety, get plenty of rest, no caffeine, eat light meals. All those things help me to minimise the missed beats and to worry less about them. Keep reading these forums - I have found them very reassuring and supportive.

You know what? In over a year of reading these questions and messages - the comments on pacs/pvc/missed beats has nearly always been that they are harmless if your heart is structurally normal, and even if you do have problems there are a whole range of successful therapies for them, from beta blockers to ablation.

I hope it will reassure you to know something I have read several times on this and other sites (from doctors) - if you have pacs/pvcs in a structurally normal heart, you are not at a greater risk of dying than anyone else who does not have them.

Best wishes.

[martinlee43a]

thanks for the comment, i'm new to fourms so forgive me. I was told by the doctor that i have PACs not PVCs, i've read there is some diffrence. But i not sure, i'm just an ole rancher that is bummed out over these things. My Doctor says to not worry about them, that thats easyer said than done.

[marlinspike]

Hi - I don't think there is a straight-forward answer to this. I think the nature of the pvc/pac's is more significant than the frequency. I can often have 6 or so a minute for hours at a time, I used to get a lot more, say every 3rd beat. They are scary and distressing. There are people on these forums who get thousands a day, every day, and have had them for 20 or 30 years. A few weeks ago a doctor in the expert forum mentioned that he was treating patients who had 30 thousand plus pvc's day.

The important thing is to get checked out with ecg, echocardiogram, blood tests etc. Many pacs/pvcs are harmless and these tests will show any areas of concern. Most people get pvc's and don't even know about it - your heart beats 100,000 times a day, so a few missed beats a day is unlikely to be anything to worry about, but get it checked out. I hope this helps.