Comments on: Premature ventricular contraction PVC So annoying what`s the cause what can help? http://helpmetosleep.com/jet-lag/premature-ventricular-contraction-pvc-so-annoying-whats-the-cause-what-can-help Answers to all of your questions about sleep. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:57:51 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: PVC worried http://helpmetosleep.com/jet-lag/premature-ventricular-contraction-pvc-so-annoying-whats-the-cause-what-can-help/comment-page-1#comment-4361 PVC worried Fri, 26 Feb 2010 01:19:55 +0000 http://helpmetosleep.com/jet-lag/premature-ventricular-contraction-pvc-so-annoying-whats-the-cause-what-can-help#comment-4361 Hello. I was diagnosed with PVC's 2 months ago. After a holter and echocardiogram the Cardiologist told me they are benign PVC's but they still scare me very much. I have them every day and seem to get them more often after eating and prior to menstrual cycle. I do not have hypertension but I do have mitral valve prolapse. I am still worried. I do feel some relief when I hear from people that have had it for a long time and still are OK. Hello. I was diagnosed with PVC’s 2 months ago. After a holter and echocardiogram the Cardiologist told me they are benign PVC’s but they still scare me very much. I have them every day and seem to get them more often after eating and prior to menstrual cycle. I do not have hypertension but I do have mitral valve prolapse. I am still worried. I do feel some relief when I hear from people that have had it for a long time and still are OK.

]]> By: Im2hard2please http://helpmetosleep.com/jet-lag/premature-ventricular-contraction-pvc-so-annoying-whats-the-cause-what-can-help/comment-page-1#comment-4078 Im2hard2please Tue, 02 Feb 2010 08:33:59 +0000 http://helpmetosleep.com/jet-lag/premature-ventricular-contraction-pvc-so-annoying-whats-the-cause-what-can-help#comment-4078 I'm 71 now and have had PVC's (bad at times) since 1966. I've been on medication for PVC's since 1983. I've been told by several doctors PVC's are not harmful, but they sure feel like they could be harmful to anyone who has to live with them. I've finally learned to live mine but the medicine really does help keep them to a minimum. I'm not a doctor so do not take my advice. Check with your own doctor to make sure of what it is you have. It could be that you have Atrial Fibrillation (AF) instead and that is serious. They both act somewhat the same. Again, I urge you to see a doctor now to determine what is happening. Do not let such a thing go on without finding out what it is from a professional. Yes, I was told caffeine and stress can cause PVC's....as can chocolate or anything else that contains caffeine. Stop all caffeine. Your doctors should tell you what to do.....not people here. Do not take our advice. Repeat, DO NOT take our advice. We are merely giving you information based on our own experiences. Note, I too was very worried about my PVC's and they got so bad I went to the ER where I was prescribed medication. I now also have AF and must take a blood thinner daily to prevent strokes. I do have hypertension and have for all of my adult life. Lifelong hypertension caused my heart problems (AF in particular). My doctors don't seem to know for sure what caused my PVC's. But they do know what to do to minimize them. I’m 71 now and have had PVC’s (bad at times) since 1966. I’ve been on medication for PVC’s since 1983. I’ve been told by several doctors PVC’s are not harmful, but they sure feel like they could be harmful to anyone who has to live with them. I’ve finally learned to live mine but the medicine really does help keep them to a minimum. I’m not a doctor so do not take my advice. Check with your own doctor to make sure of what it is you have. It could be that you have Atrial Fibrillation (AF) instead and that is serious. They both act somewhat the same. Again, I urge you to see a doctor now to determine what is happening. Do not let such a thing go on without finding out what it is from a professional. Yes, I was told caffeine and stress can cause PVC’s….as can chocolate or anything else that contains caffeine. Stop all caffeine. Your doctors should tell you what to do…..not people here. Do not take our advice. Repeat, DO NOT take our advice. We are merely giving you information based on our own experiences. Note, I too was very worried about my PVC’s and they got so bad I went to the ER where I was prescribed medication. I now also have AF and must take a blood thinner daily to prevent strokes. I do have hypertension and have for all of my adult life. Lifelong hypertension caused my heart problems (AF in particular). My doctors don’t seem to know for sure what caused my PVC’s. But they do know what to do to minimize them.

]]> By: johndoe915 http://helpmetosleep.com/jet-lag/premature-ventricular-contraction-pvc-so-annoying-whats-the-cause-what-can-help/comment-page-1#comment-4077 johndoe915 Sun, 31 Jan 2010 23:47:50 +0000 http://helpmetosleep.com/jet-lag/premature-ventricular-contraction-pvc-so-annoying-whats-the-cause-what-can-help#comment-4077 There are many causes of premature ventricular contractions, they are: Heart attack High blood pressure Cardiomyopathy, including congestive heart failure Disease of heart valves such as mitral valve prolapse Hypokalemia (low blood levels of potassium), and hypomagnesemia (low blood levels of magnesium). Hypokalemia and hypomagnesemia can occur, for example, in patients taking diuretics (water pills) Hypoxia (low amounts of oxygen in the blood). Hypoxia, for example, occurs with lung diseases such as emphysema or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) Medications such as digoxin, aminophylline, tricyclic antidepressants, and ephedrine containing decongestants. • Excessive intake of alcohol Excess caffeine intake Stimulant drug use such as cocaine, and amphetamines Myocarditis (heart muscle inflammation) and cardiac contusion (heart muscle injury) PVCs also occur in healthy individuals without heart diseases. What are the dangers of premature ventricular contractions? Premature ventricular contractions in healthy individuals without high blood pressure and heart diseases do not pose any health risks. Premature ventricular contractions in patients with heart diseases (heart attacks, heart failure, diseases of the heart valves) are associated with increased risks of developing ventricular tachycardia. Ventricular tachycardia is a sustained run of rapid ventricular contractions. Ventricular tachycardia is life-threatening because: 1) it occurs suddenly with no prior warning, and 2) it frequently develops into ventricular fibrillation. Ventricular fibrillation is a chaotic rhythm where the ventricles quiver rapidly in a purposeless fashion. The heart with ventricular fibrillation cannot pump blood effectively to the brain and the rest of the body. If untreated, ventricular fibrillation can be fatal within minutes. An estimated 250,000 Americans die in this way each year. Many doctors believe that premature ventricular contractions do not cause ventricular tachycardias or ventricular fibrillations. Instead, premature ventricular contractions are merely indicators (symptoms) of serious heart diseases or other serious conditions such as digoxin or aminophylline toxicity, hypokalemia, hypoxia, and on-going heart damage from heart attacks. There are many causes of premature ventricular contractions, they are:

Heart attack
High blood pressure
Cardiomyopathy, including congestive heart failure
Disease of heart valves such as mitral valve prolapse
Hypokalemia (low blood levels of potassium), and hypomagnesemia (low blood levels of magnesium). Hypokalemia and hypomagnesemia can occur, for example, in patients taking diuretics (water pills)
Hypoxia (low amounts of oxygen in the blood). Hypoxia, for example, occurs with lung diseases such as emphysema or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
Medications such as digoxin, aminophylline, tricyclic antidepressants, and ephedrine containing decongestants. • Excessive intake of alcohol
Excess caffeine intake
Stimulant drug use such as cocaine, and amphetamines
Myocarditis (heart muscle inflammation) and cardiac contusion (heart muscle injury)
PVCs also occur in healthy individuals without heart diseases.

What are the dangers of premature ventricular contractions?

Premature ventricular contractions in healthy individuals without high blood pressure and heart diseases do not pose any health risks. Premature ventricular contractions in patients with heart diseases (heart attacks, heart failure, diseases of the heart valves) are associated with increased risks of developing ventricular tachycardia. Ventricular tachycardia is a sustained run of rapid ventricular contractions. Ventricular tachycardia is life-threatening because: 1) it occurs suddenly with no prior warning, and 2) it frequently develops into ventricular fibrillation. Ventricular fibrillation is a chaotic rhythm where the ventricles quiver rapidly in a purposeless fashion. The heart with ventricular fibrillation cannot pump blood effectively to the brain and the rest of the body. If untreated, ventricular fibrillation can be fatal within minutes. An estimated 250,000 Americans die in this way each year.

Many doctors believe that premature ventricular contractions do not cause ventricular tachycardias or ventricular fibrillations. Instead, premature ventricular contractions are merely indicators (symptoms) of serious heart diseases or other serious conditions such as digoxin or aminophylline toxicity, hypokalemia, hypoxia, and on-going heart damage from heart attacks.

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