PVCs= Electrolytes or Adrenaline?

[mzak69]

I am posting this question to get some feedback on what many of you think are causing PVCs.

Right now I am attempting to reduce my PVCs by adding electrolyte supplements. I am taking 500 mg magnesium, potassium, sea salt, etc.

They seem to be less, but I am still having episodes. These episodes tend to occur after excitement or strenous activity. They last for several minutes to an hour and then subside.

Does that sound like electrolytes or adrenaline? I'm not sure what else I can take at this point to balance the electrolytes. What can be done if it's adrenaline related? I stopped the metoprolol, so I'm not on any BB.

Thanks for your insight.  

[mzak69]

I've had all the tests you can have (stress, echo, ekg, holter, event monitor, etc). I've been told by 2 cardiologists and an EP that my heart is structurally fine and these PVCs are benign. I thought perhaps you all knew that from my previous posts.

I am trying to determine how to get them under control. They are putting a damper on my quality of life. I was hoping someone had an opinion on whether their PVCs were caused by an electrolyte imbalance or from increased adrenaline and if you have found a different way of dealing with it.

[rilesnic]

I actually read, some time ago, and can't remember where, that people who have PVC's and PAC's are more likely to survive should the heart go into a severe arrythmia than people who've never had a heart symptom...the logic if I remember right was the cells causing the PVC' and PAC's would be more likely to cause the heart to go back into rhythm than people who didn't have PVC's or PAC's...like I said, I can't remember where I read it and so I can't cite a source or prove it to be true, but it is logical. If the heart's main pacemaker completely stops, the crazy PVC cells may kick in and get it beating again.

PVC's in structurally normal hearts with no other underlying cardiac disease, are said to be benign. Of course, your doctor should determine this.

My cardio told me I am at no more risk of sudden cardiac arrest than the average Joe who has never had a PVC or PAC.

Everyone is different and anytime you feel palps or have a change in them, you should let your doctor know.

I can say that mine or very symptomatic and wear me out. A lot of times I think I'm going to die they make me feel so bad. My heart definitely does it's own thing.

[Mom2four85]

also, for more information visit the National Dysautonomia Research Foundation's (ndrf.org) website and click The autonomic nervous system; it has alot of useful information about the ANS and how it affects our "inner" workings all of the automatic things that go on inside; including our heart.

Up top if you click Learn More - there is The NDRF Patient Handbook you can d/l in pdf format that has more information and is a bit easier to read with easy to understand explanations of how the heart, ans and brain are all connected and work together

once I learned how these are all connected and work like a team or against each other, it was a bit easier to deal with my symptoms...

[Mom2four85]

I forgot to add - in the "normally structural heart" now if you have structural problems such as CAD, cardiomyopathies, valve disease etc, that's a whole new ballgame

[Mom2four85]

Ken1945 "PVCs can lead to a more lethal arrhythmias"...they can? can you explain where that information comes from? define "lethal"? I'd love to hear your information about this since I've found very little on dangerous arrhythmia's in the past 2 years.

I ask because during the last health chat a few weeks ago I asked about this topic http://www.medhelp.org/health_chats/archive/64 and this is one of most asked question I've seen in this community

mzak69 have you been evaluated by a dr and what did they find? it's important to know what's going on so you can treat the arrhythmia; don't ignore symptoms like I did and end up with a larger problem in the end

all arrhythmia's should be evaluated by a cardiologist & EP with a full cardiac workup and blood work that includes an electrolyte panel to check for things like magnesium, potassium etc; until you do that please be careful adding supplements in case you're already too high in one of them.

there's always alot of debate about arrhythmia's between doctors as well as the medical community as a whole; in general they say unless you're very symptomatic or over say 15-20% of pvc's daily dr's wont' even look at ablation and normally they treat 6,000 - 8,000 pvc's daily with meds & lifestyle changes unless there are other circumstances

I believe adrenaline driven arrhythmia's are due to a mixed signal between the brain, ANS (autonomic nervous system) and heart; or at least that's what I've been told when I talk to my drs.  

I haven't found anything that calms mine; it's a running joke in my family about me being the Hulk..I can't get angry when I do my heart beats out of my chest :P  I would love to know if you find something; I can't take alot of supplements due to my quirky ANS and ICD.

[Ken1945]

Are you seeing a doctor or cardiologist? This is a serious arrhythmia and something that  requires a knowledgeable doctor. PVCs can lead to a more lethal arrhythmias. It means that certain cells in the ventricles are initiating a beat because they are irritable. This is not something that you can treat yourself. Good luck.