Overview
Premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) are a type of irregular heartbeat, also called an arrhythmia. PVCs are extra heartbeats. They start in one of the heart's lower chambers, called the ventricles. The extra beats change the usual pattern of the heartbeat.
Premature ventricular contractions also are called:
- Premature ventricular complexes.
- Ventricular premature beats.
- Ventricular extrasystoles.
If you don’t have heart disease, PVCs may not be a concern. You may not need treatment. You might need treatment if the irregular beats are very frequent or bothersome or if you have an underlying heart condition.
Symptoms
Premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) may not cause symptoms. Sometimes the extra beats can cause unusual feelings in the chest, such as:
- Fluttering, pounding or jumping heartbeats.
- Skipped beats or missed beats.
The changes may make you more aware of your heartbeat.
When to see a doctor
If you feel changes in your heartbeat, make an appointment for a health checkup. A healthcare professional can figure out if your symptoms are due to a heart condition or other health concern.
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Causes
To understand the cause of premature ventricular contractions (PVCs), it may help to know how the heart works.
How does the heart beat?
The typical heart has four chambers.
- The two upper chambers are called the atria.
- The two lower chambers are called the ventricles.
The heart's electrical system controls the heartbeat. The heart's electrical signals start in a group of cells at the top of the heart called the sinus node. They pass through a pathway between the upper and lower heart chambers called the atrioventricular node. This pathway also is called the AV node. The movement of the signals causes the heart to squeeze and pump blood.
In a healthy heart, this heart signaling process usually goes smoothly. The heart at rest beats about 60 to 100 times a minute.
But if you have premature ventricular contractions (PVCs), the heartbeats are not regular. The PVCs start in the lower heart chambers instead of the upper ones. The beats start sooner than typically expected.
Typical heartbeat
In a typical heart rhythm, a tiny cluster of cells at the sinus node sends out an electrical signal. The signal then travels through the upper heart chambers, called the atria, to the atrioventricular node (AV node). The signal then goes into the lower heart chambers, called the ventricles. This makes the chambers squeeze and pump blood.
The cause of PVCs isn't always clear. Some things, including heart diseases or changes in the body, can make cells in the lower heart chambers electrically unstable. Heart disease or scarring may cause the heart's electrical signals to take the wrong path.
Premature ventricular contractions may be caused by:
- Some medicines, including decongestants and antihistamines.
- Alcohol or drug misuse.
- Stimulants such as caffeine or tobacco.
- Higher levels of adrenaline in the body due to exercise or anxiety.
- Injury to the heart muscle due to disease.
Risk factors
Some lifestyle choices and health conditions may make a person more likely to have premature ventricular contractions (PVCs).
Risk factors for PVCs include:
- Use of caffeine or illicit drugs such as cocaine or methamphetamines.
- Smoking and using tobacco.
- Alcohol use.
- Exercise, for certain types of PVCs.
- Anxiety.
- Heart attack.
- Coronary artery disease.
- Heart condition that a person is born with, called a congenital heart defect.
- Heart failure, a weakened heart muscle and other heart conditions.
Complications
Possible complications of premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) may include:
- Other types of irregular heartbeats.
- Weakening of the heart muscle, called cardiomyopathy.
In some people with heart disease, frequent PVCs can cause dangerous heartbeat changes that lead to sudden cardiac death. This complication is rare.
