stroke risk for pvcs?

[jennyfi1234]

Ok, someone mentioned to me that they heard pvcs can increase your chances of stroke, so I googled it and on medscape.com there is an article saying if you do NOT have high bp or deabetes you can have an increased chance of stroke from pvcs? This is also on the ahajournals.org and these are from 2009 and 2010. Has anyone heard this? My cardiologist did not even mention for me to take a baby aspirin or anything, so I am wondering. thanks so much.

[CFS56]

I have never heard of that before.  I don't honestly see how it could cause a stroke.  I know that stroke is the biggest risk of afib.  

[r9c]

Yea never heard of that too as most doctors and cardiologist also told me high bp as in very severe hypertension cause stroke usually.

[jennyfi1234]

what I dont understand is why the two articles say its increased if you do NOT have diabetes or high bp.--Seems odd, and yet I thought they were legit. sites.

[itdood]

I didn't read the diabetes and hbp the way you did.  Rightly so I think the study wanted to keep folks with "co-morbid" issues out of the study.  Diabetes and hbp already increase risk of stroke on their own.   It would mess up the results.

So folks that have "frequent" PVCs and no other risk factors were found to be at increased risk of stroke.

On the other hand they mentioned that folks that had diabetes and/or HBP, also having PVCs did not increase the risk of stroke.  But this is just in the noise because diabetes and HPB already put them at higher risk.

I can't read the entire study, it mentions people with "frequent" PVCs but did not specify what they meant by frequent.

I wasn't aware of the study either, it's recent.  I only see one other study linking to it so it doesn't have much peer review in my opinion.

[jennyfi1234]

Ok, well I got freaked out cause I have FREQUENT pvcs---

[Barbarella]

I've been having PVC's, severe at times, off and on for almost 50 yrs and never had a stroke nor has a cardiologist ever told me that PVC's can cause a stroke.  I've always been told, after all the tests "they are benign, ignore them".  I finally learned to ignore them, and not worry about them anymore.  Not to say that I look forward having them.  Anything coming from the heart is not easy to "just ignore".

Trust what your doctor/cardiologist tells you.  Stay away from the Internet.  They usually give the worst case scenerio which happens very seldom a cardiologist told me.

Of course there can be medical reasons why people get PVC's, that is why you get checked out, get the tests, and if everything else is ruled out unfortunately the PVC's will visit you ever so often.  

[jondsam]

PVC's lower your blood pressure especially if you have the frequently.  SO PVC's actually decrease the risk of the stroke   =)

[Runnerj]

PVC's do add to your risk if strokes. I am 27 years old, in great shape (run and eat right). I started having noticeable heart issues 9 months ago, my doctor said I have PVCs and not worry about. In the last month I have had 3 "mini strokes" which my doctor said is caused by blood clotting during the long period between beats. Needless to say I was a little upset this wasn't mentioned before it happened.

[Jerry_NJ]

Discuss it at least with your primary doctor, then if approved, take a low dose aspirin every day.  There are lots of studies that indicate aspirin has many benefits, included a reduction in formation of blood clots -> stoke.  

As for "Runnerj" on his PVC which seem to cause long periods between beats, I am confused.  I understand PVC is an extra, not a delay in heart beat...of course I could be mixed up on this one, I do not suffer from PVC (just from irregular heart beats caused by AFib).  

[Sunny1008]

First of all the published study you have mentioned is in the realm of research and not clinical practice. It needs replication, and then a deeper look into why these PVCs are present etc. This is far from causation (i.e. PVC cause stroke) but simply frequent PVCs were associated with slightly increased odds of stroke.

If one looks at the the study result: the absolute risk in someone who is young without diabetes or hypertension is pretty low per year <0.1% at age 55years. Thus slight increase in relative risk though important scientifically in terms of further exploration has little relevance to you.

Further, presence of PVCs during exercise may have different meaning than at rest and needs studying (PVCs typically get suppressed with increase in native heart rate).

If someone is still circumspect about them and wishes to reduce ones' risk - conventional wisdom would work good. Have a healthy lifestyle, move, maintain healthy weight, and keep a good tab over other risk factors.