asympotmatic pvc

[hawaiipilot]

I am a 74 year old male who had a single artery blockage 18 years ago which was treated, successfully by angioplasty.  Since I am a private pilot, the FAA requires me to have a stress test every year and every other year the test includes a nuclear scan.  I exercise about 90 minutes every day on a treadmill and stationary bike.  I have passed each test with flying colors, the nuclear scan has consistently shown normal perfusion and other normal pictures both at rest and at stress.  On my last test, the ECG showed "frequent PVCs" while the nuclear was normal.  I have had no symptoms (no strange feeling in the chest, etc. even during exercise). I drink one glass of red wine a day, do not smoke, have switched to decaffeinated coffee (though have stopped all coffee this week) and am in the process of losing weight to get down the desired BMI--which is a loss of about 40 pounds (I have lost 25 so far). My lipid profile is excellent (LDL=82, HDL=51). Should I be concerned about the PVcs?

Thanks in advance for your response.  

[hawaiipilot]

Thanks for your comment---I'll relax a bit....how common is it for PVCs to occur and the person not feel a thing?  Most of the time I am not even aware that there is a heart in my chest--even during exercise when my pulse goes up to around 130 or so.  

[hawaiipilot]

Thanks...I have decided to stop the wine (sob!).  

[kay2486]

as long as your doctor says you're fine then i wouldn't worry but people who have had heart attacks or have heart disease are more at risk of developing serious arrythmias if they have pvcs, not all people pass these tests especially the treadmill test but you've flew the tests you'll be fine good luck with flying

[cindy707]

PVC's in most cases for millions of people are pretty harmless.....but i can tell you one thing for absolutely sure and that is that red wine is a huge no no for matters of the heart altho for years we have been told it extends life its side effect is that it effects the rhythm of the heart....sounds to me like you are in great physical shape so congrats on that one.....you may want to talk to your doc about the wine......