November 1, 2001
Telling the difference: PVCs and heart attack symptoms
You finally get to sit down at the end of the day. The dog has been fed and so has the rest of the family. The dishes have been washed, homework is done and everything is in readiness for the next day. So why, just when you’ve finally settled into your armchair in front of the television, does your heart suddenly flutter, lurch or thump? Should you call an ambulance?
The problem is not always a symptom of heart disease, says Dr. Jeanne Poole, associate professor of medicine in the School of Medicine’s Division of Cardiology.
“It is most often a benign situation if the person is otherwise healthy. Drinking too much coffee, being under stress or not getting enough sleep frequently bring on premature ventricular contractions, or PVCs,” Poole says. “Taking a lot of over-the-counter decongestants or antihistamines, thyroid problems or electrolyte abnormalities can also cause an increase in PVCs.”
Electrolyte abnormalities caused by taking diuretics can also be a factor.
Poole says that when people complain of skipped heartbeats, thumps, or palpitations, they are actually feeling early beats.
“The beat comes early enough in the cardiac cycle that it doesn’t produce a full cardiac contraction of normal strength,” Poole says. “To them it seems like a skipped beat, because to them it may feel like a pause surrounding the early beat.”
PVCs are very common. Poole says studies have shown that up to 50 percent of people have them at one time or another in their lives. During the day, people are often too busy to notice PVCs, and only become aware of them when they are relaxing or preparing to go to sleep.
This isn’t to say that PVCs should be ignored. Whenever anyone experiences a new or different symptom, it is wise to check it out with a physician. Poole says this sign can point your family doctor toward some health or lifestyle problems that should be investigated.
She adds, “If someone is dizzy, lightheaded or passing out after a series of what feel like skipped beats, they should get immediate medical attention. Even without PVCs, these symptoms should alert you that something is wrong. A long string of PVCs becomes ventricular tachycardia, a problem calling for a thorough evaluation.”
Heart attack symptoms are usually very different from the thumps and flutters of PVC.
“Anyone who experiences the classic symptoms of a heart attack – chest pressure, shortness of breath, breaking out in a sweat or nausea – should seek medical attention immediately,” Poole says. “PVCs last only a moment, while heart attack symptoms tend to be longer-lasting.”
Poole adds if a person who has been healthy his entire life starts noticing PVCs, it’s worth mentioning to the doctor. In most cases, some simple lifestyle changes may help you reserve those heart flutters for your one-and-only.
