How many PVC's are too much?

[jonaz]

Hello everyone.

Usually I have a PVC every 3 to 10 heartbeats.

At times when i've been stressed I've had annoying tachycardia,
and i've noticed that i have a PVC every 2 to 4 heartbeats with the occasional 2 PVC's in a row.

-Can PVC's cause tachycardia?
-Am i in danger for developing ventricular fibrillation?
-Should i use medication to try to surpress the PVC's?
-How many PVC's are too much?

[Mom2four85]

I don't think that tachycardia is included in the numbers I quoted; tachy is just a high HR, pvc's are extra systoles.  I had tachycardia alot also on top of 54,000 pvcs - my dr did not mention tachy affecting my heart like pvc's did (cardiomyopathy)

I had 129,000 heartbeats in a 24 hr period with 54,000 pvc's - which was 42% of my total heartbeats.

You may want to ask for a holter/event monitor to see what exactly your numbers are and what they mean.

I had constant tachycardia for 3 days solid; even at rest my HR was over 125; I saw my EP and he didn't seem too concerned and just asked if there were any changes with me.

[jonaz]

I would still really want to hear about what you guys think about those short tachycardia's full of PVC's.

Is it dangerous if i would have that kind of stuff happening one time,
if it does not happen to frequent?

[jonaz]

I hope i don't sound silly...

but I've just adjusted my posture (straight back now) and it seems like my heart only skips every 10th to 15th beat.

That would be between around 6 and 10% of all heartbeats.
If my pvc's could just stay like this they wouldn't even need treatment with meds I think?

[jonaz]

During brief periods when i had tachycardia it has been around 40%. (i felt with my fingers on carotid artery).

An ECG has once recorded 33% pvc's just after the peak of a tachycardia episode.

Tachycardia was caused by anxiety and stomache.
Both are being treated right now, so i hope not to have tachycardia again...

I was just wondering whether a 30min period of 40% pvc's followed by a 3 hour period of 20% pvc's is DANGEROUS?

----------------------

Between every 3rd and 10th heartbeat my heart skips at the moment,
but i hope that's going to drop fast in the near future by developing better posture and eating habits and by becoming active again.

I think my pvc's are caused by stomache problem, inactivity, poor nutrition, etc.

[Mom2four85]

are you sure you're having 20% - 40%? that's would be alot; even if your 24/hr HB total is 100,000 which is about average

did you have a holter or event monitor to determine that %? I think that's the only way to be certain of your factual numbers.

There's alot of people with alot more knowledge than I have on this; hopefully someone else can jump in and let you know

I had roughly 42% daily pvc's, my dr's told me it could cause cardiomyopathy

[jonaz]

I think I usually have 20% PVC's,
but i'm not really looking forward to ablation either.

I hope changing to a better diet will correct my PVC's.

Is 20% PVC's dangerous in the shortterm?
what about short periods with 40% PVC's?

[jonaz]

Heart structure normal.
Doctor give me betablockers but i cannot tolerate them even in the lowest doses (bradycardia and hypotension)

[Mom2four85]

My ep said normally he treats 6,000 - 8,000 pvcs 24/hr period with meds, and anything above 15% - 20 % of your total daily heartbeats with surgery.

The first thing to do is find out with a monitor exactly how many and what you're having.  Also, a stress test, echo etc to make sure you have a structurally normal heart.

Meds work for some but not for others, it's an individual thing and while one med may not work for you, another one may.  I haven't found any meds that work for me and not have side effects I can't handle, but I have a very sensitive system because of nervous system problems.