PVC's

For some of you who have been concerned about having PVC's I thought this might help.

On my checkup today I show 248,508 PVC singles and 44,497 runs in the last 3 months. That works out to be about 2500 singles per day and 450 runs/day. Neither the Medtronics rep or the cardiologist were concerned about that level of them as long as they aren't causing my any problems.

This is important because the treatments for them such as meds or ablations have the potential of creating more problems than the PVC's.

frank

8 Comments

WOW

by wenditt - 2010-04-12 06:04:43

That helps to put my count into perspective. But when I get them...they still make me jump a bit. I get startled. And then sometimes I get the "panic flush" right after.

Can you help me with that?
Thanks,
Wenditt

Feeling PVC's

by ElectricFrank - 2010-04-12 07:04:16

They can range anywhere from not even noticing them to a THUMP in the chest that can even be painful. The feeling isn't an indicator of how serious they are. It has more to do with timing and how full the ventricles are when the contraction takes place.

By the way on the Medtronic pacers the counter is reset at office visits, but not on the phone check.

frank

How do you know

by heartu - 2010-04-12 07:04:57

Other than the pm capturing the pvc event, do you know you are having them? Any particular symptoms, feeling?

pvc's

by mikesmom93 - 2010-04-12 08:04:17

When I first started having pvc's, I told the doctor it felt like a fish flopping around in my chest ...

I have a couple beats, then my heart skips one, then it does two quick ones to catch up. Then it starts all over again ...

I was told not to worry about it as well. But once I get them, it seems to take weeks until my heart gets back to it's normal rhythm. Then I may go weeks until it starts all over again.

Melissa

pvc's

by thomast - 2010-04-12 09:04:16

Meant to say now only have 6 or so per month after increasing the coreg.

Thomas

pvc's

by thomast - 2010-04-12 09:04:17

Meant to say now only have 6 or so per month after increasing the coreg.

Thomas

pvc's

by thomast - 2010-04-12 09:04:33

Boy, you have differant doctor than I do. When I went for my first yearly checkup with the doctor, mine showed about 5000 in the entire year, and he had a fit. Said I eather had to stop driving or do something to stop them. He increased (doubled) my core

Thomas

Controversy over PVC's

by ElectricFrank - 2010-04-13 12:04:19

There is a lot of mixed opinion about the seriousness of PVC's. Some can be an indication of a more serious underlying problem, but reducing them with meds just hides the issue.

One thing I read somewhere a while back is that only PVC's that increase with exercise are risky. Probably because they are being caused by poor coronary artery flow (my guess). In my case I rarely have them when I go for a walk and a good climb up a steep hill is a sure way to eliminate them.

I see you have an ICD which could be the reason your doc is concerned. If you have a tendency toward arrythmias, PVC's might be able to trigger one. My report showed no ventricular high rate episodes during the 3 months so that isn't a problem for me.

frank

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