PALPITATIONS & PREMATURE VENTRICULAR CONTRACTIONS (PVC's) 

What are Premature Ventricular Contractions? — Premature Ventricular Contractions (called “PVCs” here) are extra beats that happen before a normal heartbeat. The heart is divided into 4 sections, called “chambers.” PVCs start in the 2 lower chambers, called the “ventricles.”

PVCs are caused by a problem with the heart’s electrical system, in which the ventricles send abnormal electrical signals. These signals cause the extra beats.

PVCs are common. Most happen in healthy people. They can also happen in people who have different types of heart disease. PVCs are very common after a heart attack.  

What are the symptoms of PVCs? — Most people with PVCs do not have any symptoms. A doctor or nurse might find PVCs when he or she listens to your heart during an exam. Or doctors might find PVCs if they do a heart test called an “electrocardiogram,” also called an ECG or EKG.    

If you do have symptoms, they can include:

  • Feeling like the heart is beating hard, beating fast, or seems to skip a beat – These heartbeat changes are called “palpitations.”
  • Feeling dizzy or lightheaded
  • A pounding feeling in the neck

You might be more likely to notice PVCs when you lie quietly in bed at night or lie on your left side.

Should I see a doctor or nurse? — If your heart often seems to beat fast or hard, or skip beats, talk to your doctor or nurse. PVCs are common, but you might have another condition that is causing the symptoms. PVCs can also be a sign of a more serious heart condition.  

Is there a test for PVCs? — Yes. The doctor or nurse will do an exam and learn about your symptoms. He or she can also do the following tests:

  • An electrocardiogram – This test, also called an “ECG” or “EKG,” measures the electrical activity in your heart.
  • A Holter monitor – This is a small, portable machine you wear that records all your heart’s electrical activity over 1 or 2 days.

If you have PVCs often or the doctor thinks you could have a specific heart condition, he or she can order other tests.

How are PVCs treated? — Treatment depends on what is causing the PVCs and whether they cause symptoms. If you do not have symptoms, you might not need any treatment. If the PVCs are caused by another heart condition, doctors will treat that condition.

Possible treatments include:

  • Medicines to control the speed or rhythm of your heartbeat
  • A treatment called “radiofrequency ablation” – This treatment is rarely used for PVCs and it is reserved for very symptomatic patients that do not respond to medicines. It uses heat to destroy a small part of the heart that is sending abnormal electrical signals.