![]() ![]() Echocardiography will be used to assess the heart function and look for underlying heart conditions. A very careful assessment has to be made using a combination of 12-lead ECG and ambulatory ECG monitoring.This can be detected on heart scans such as echocardiography or cardiac MRI. Less commonly, in patients with a very high level of ventricular ectopic beats, the extra beats can lead to a worsening of the underlying heart muscle.In some cases, this can progress into episodes of ventricular tachycardia (VT). ![]() Some patients with very severe coronary artery disease – with heart artery narrowings that are severe enough to reduce the blood supply to the heart muscle, can trigger an excess of ventricular ectopics beats.The majority of ventricular ectopics are benign but in some people, if they are occurring in long runs, they can reflect coronary artery disease. This means extra ectopic beats from the ventricles may be felt more strongly than those from the atria. The ventricles are powerful chambers of the heart with the left ventricle pumping blood to the entire body and the right ventricle pumping blood to the lungs. Premature ventricular contraction (PVC)s – these come from the lower chambers, called the ventricles. These type of ectopics can cluster together and occur as ‘runs’ which can be felt like a ‘fluttering’ in the chest. The atria are smaller chambers and you may not feel all of the ectopic beats. These are generally benign but in some patients, very high levels of these can predict future atrial fibrillation. Premature atrial contraction (PAC)s – these come from the two upper chambers of the heart, called the atria. There are two main types of ectopic beats: ComplicationsĬall your doctor if you experience a sudden racing of the heart, severe palpitations along with chest pain or excessive sweating and breathlessness.Ectopic beats are very common and many people who feel palpitations experience ectopic beats. Catheter ablation is very effective in stopping ectopic heartbeats. Since this is an invasive procedure, sedatives and local anesthetics are used to make it painless. The ablation (heat or freezing) is applied to the abnormal muscle for about 30 seconds. The wires are threaded through punctures in the groin and the catheter ends reach the heart muscle. Catheters or thin wires are passed into the heart via the blood vessels. Catheter ablation is a procedure used to modify the abnormal heart muscle to prevent it from transmitting electric signals. In cases where the ectopic heartbeat is worsening the heart function, the doctor may recommend a procedure known as catheter ablation. In patients with respiratory issues like asthma or chronic bronchitis, beta-blockers cannot be used and hence alternatives like calcium-channel blockers are used. What are the Treatments for Ectopic Heartbeat?ĭoctors generally prescribe simple medications like beta-blockers to alleviate the ectopic heartbeat. Electrocardiogram (ECG) – records electrical activity in the heart in a supine position.This image provides greater detail than an x-ray. Echocardiogram – uses sound waves to create images of the heart.Coronary angiography – is a procedure using a contrast dye and x-rays to examine the blood flow through the arteries in the heart.Many heart conditions are detected only during activity and this method is useful to detect ectopic heartbeat and arrhythmias. Continuous ambulatory cardiac monitoring (Holter monitor) – also known as ambulatory electrocardiogram (ECG), this technique records the electrical activity of the heart as the patient goes about his/her normal, daily activities.The doctor may order the following tests in order to diagnose ectopic heartbeat: In most cases, the blood pressure is normal and the ectopic heartbeat is infrequent. Doctors are usually able to diagnose ectopic heartbeats with a physical examination if the pulse is erratic. ![]()
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