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premature supraventricular contractions: why treat?

I've had premature beats that interrupt normal rhythm for a long time.  Every time I got it checked out in the past, I've been told it's benign.

Now I'm older, 45 yo.  My internist sent me to a cardiologist because of the irregular beats.  They did a complete workup.  (Stress test not done yet.)
* Echo showed a murmer (nurse kind of implied it wasn't a big deal in my case) and a slightly enlarged right side (haven't gotten full details on the latter; sounds like they'll check it every few months).
* Holter monitor showed mostly normal rhythm, interrupted sometimes by supraventricular activity (beats I guess).  The nurse said it was concerning because the monitor showed it happening up to 11 cycles in a row.

They put me on 25 mg metoprolol (once/day) and said they'll do another Holter to see if it's effective in getting rid of these PSVCs.

What I don't quite understand is whether the PSVCs really need treatment.  I'm not uncomfortable and show no serious symptoms (no shortness of breath, no angina, no tingling in arms or fingers, etc etc etc), and my understanding is that these premature SV beats are themselves benign.  Is the treatment just for symptotic relief?  Or does cardiology have some idea that if they go untreated, they could progressively get worse, to a point that some more invasive treatment would be necessary?

So far the beta blocker isn't having too many side effects, but I'd rather not take drugs if I really don't have to.

TIA,

S
Best Answer
187666 tn?1331173345
It's mentioned as "supraventricular" which would make them PAC's.  Perhaps they're worried about the potential for a-fib.
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Avatar universal
Don't stress over it. Just do all the testing they think necesary. There is many forms of heart complications. Find out exactly what yours is doing. Be thankful it hasn't deblitated your life to any degree.

I hate drugs also and prolonged using them until I was basically at wits end. Knowledge is key.

Good Luck
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thanks for the replies.

It's definitely not tachycardia, and as far as I can tell it's more PAC than PVC.

11 in a row doesn't mean that there are 11 of these extra beats in a row.  It means there's 11 cycles in a row that are interrupted.  At least I'm pretty sure of that.  It's not that the overall pulse is accelerated, and somewhere within those beats my heart is managing to push blood, because it never feels that bad and I never get breathless etc.

I guess they could be worried about the possibility of A-fib.
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Avatar universal
When you say you are having a cyce of 11 are you saying you are having 11 pvcs in a row? I think if you are having 11 in a row its ventricular tachycardia which is not the best thing in the world, so maybe thats why the drugs?
Helpful - 0
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