Interesting question about forcing your heart out of PVC's

Okay... I've got an interesting question, something that seems logical to me, but that I've not heard anything about.

I get PVC's a LOT. Several times a day at least and sometimes they last for an hour or more, other times it's just a few minutes. But it's irritating because the longer they last, the more weak I feel as well as just icky feeling. Everyone here probably knows the feeling. Anyway, I figured that since my heart rate was too slow, and I was missing beats every 6-8 regular beats, that if I got up and quickly did a lap around our yard; that I could get my pacemaker to kick in and make my heart go faster, thus changing the rhythm and making the PVC's go away. Well... it didn't work. 

What I want to know is WHY? If you change the dynamics of the situation and force a quicker rate for a couple minutes, why wouldn't it fix the issue? It makes NO sense. But then... NONE of this makes any sense to me. 

6 Comments

So many things can cause PVCs...

by USMC-Pacer - 2024-04-10 21:43:44

Diet, sleep, electrolites, structural heart problems, etc.. What is important for us with CRT Devices is to eliminate them as much as possible to allow a high percentage of bivp. 

Do you know if this has affected your bivp%.. it should be listed on your interrogation report. Mine tells me very little, but it at least tells me that :) 

But, I agree it can be annoying and unsettling at times. Hoping the Entresto will help you once it is titrated correctly for you. 

 

Pacer

by R2D2 - 2024-04-10 22:11:08

My report is 48 pages long, I have NO idea where to find that. I was just reasoning that even though there are multiple reasons why PVC's start, why wouldn't a forced increase in heart rate for a few minutes make the PVC's stop? But that's logical and too easy I guess. 

Mine have done that too...

by USMC-Pacer - 2024-04-10 23:13:46

Sometimes a change in position as easy as rolling over in bed stops them.. sometimes not. Prior to my valve surgery I had all kinds of bumps, thuds. and BOOMs to the point I thought I blew something. They were fairly constant in one way or another. The only time I didn't notice them is when I was working out.. oddly enough. No idea why. I know you're looking for ryme or reason, I have none.They have come and gone my entire life. Now, with these meds and a new valve, I no longer notice them aside from an occasional flutter and the nightly annoying check this thing does on itself. Hoping you can figure it out :)

48 pages long!!! WOW, mine is 6. You get lots more info than I do. This is what mine says for CRT:

CRT pacing: 99.75%

You want that number as high as you can get it. They say at least over 90% for effective CRT.  Certain PVCs, AF, and other arrythmia can bring it down. Before my valve replacement, I was in the 80% range :(

Eliminating PVCs

by AgentX86 - 2024-04-11 00:41:24

Getting the heart rate high enough will stop PVCs.  A PVC is caused by a ventricular ectopic coming before the pace.  If the pace is fast enough, it'll beat the PVC to the beat.  However, once the rate comes back down, the PVCs come back. The theory behind beta blockers is to slow the PVCs below the base pacing rate. Sometimes it even works.

When they reduced my rate from 80 to 70, I started having a lot of PVCs, so they raised it back to 80. That worked for a something like five years until the PVCs came back. Recently, I had some serious PVCs (up to 10%). The PVCs went away when I was walking and my heart rate was in the 100-110 range.  As soon as I stopped, the PVCs came back, worse than before.

Yes, you're assumptions are correct but it's not a solution unless you're willing to increase your base rate to beat the PVCs.  10bpm higher may be enough or, it might not.

PVCs in

by piglet22 - 2024-04-11 06:17:50

My pacing consultant recently told me that no pacemaker manufacture has a solution to to the worst effects of PVCs such as loss of consciousness.

Mine would kick in after relaxation when your heart rate fell and PVC timing became significant.

It got to the point where I had to judge the best time to stand up from sitting to avoid severe pre-syncope.

No amount of leg raising, arm waving ever "beat" the PVCs

 I'd have to get a rate of well over 100 BPM to do that.

The only solution to date has been a high dose of beta blockers (10 mg Bisoprolol) but now and again the PVCs manage to break through.

I don't like to be on such a high dose, but the PVCs were getting dangerous.

There's a downside as my exercise tolerance is way down and other problems like rising Hb1AC and cholesterol are emerging.

It's hard to strike a balance.

Sorry to Interrupt the Thread R2D2

by SeenBetterDays - 2024-04-11 06:28:04

Sorry R2D2, I just had to say welcome back Agent.  I've really missed your posts and wondered if something bad had happened to you.  Great to see you back on the site and giving the benefit of your experience again. Has cheered me up to know that you are still around! You've been sorely missed.

 

You know you're wired when...

You play MP3 files on your pacer.

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