Premature Cardiac Beats

Premature cardiac beats are a common arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat). At their Brighton Beach (Brooklyn) and Forest Hills (Queens) offices in New York, the Advanced Medical Care team diagnoses the cause of premature cardiac beats. You can also benefit from expert treatment to improve your heart’s health and function. Call Advanced Medical Care today or book an appointment online to arrange a premature cardiac beat evaluation.

What are premature cardiac beats?

Premature cardiac beats are extra heartbeats that disrupt your regular heart rhythm. They begin in one of your heart’s lower ventricles (pumping chambers). Other names for premature cardiac beats include:

• Premature ventricular contractions
• Premature ventricular complexes
• Ventricular premature beats
• Ventricular extrasystoles

Occasional premature cardiac beats often cause no problems in people who don’t have heart disease. But the Advanced Medical Care team might recommend treatment if your symptoms are frequent and annoying or you’ve got an underlying heart problem.

What symptoms do premature cardiac beats cause?

Premature cardiac beats can cause unusual sensations in your chest, including:

• Fluttering
• Pounding
• Jumping
• Skipped beats
• Increased awareness of your heartbeat

Conditions like hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid), anxiety, anemia (low level of red blood cells), and infections can cause similar symptoms. If you develop these problems, your doctor will determine if a heart condition caused them.

What causes premature cardiac beats?

The causes of premature cardiac beats include:

• Heart disease
• Heart muscle injury or scarring
• Medication like decongestants and antihistamines
• Alcohol and drug misuse
• Caffeine and nicotine use
• High adrenaline levels
• Cardiomyopathy

To diagnose premature cardiac beats, your Advanced Medical Care doctor listens to your heart with a stethoscope, asks about your daily habits, and reviews your medical history. They also do an electrocardiogram (EKG), a painless test that records your heart’s electrical activity.

If this doesn’t provide sufficient information, they can do a cardiac stress test, where you exercise during your EKG. Other diagnostics for premature cardiac beats include Holter and event monitors. These are portable EKG devices you wear for a day or more to record your heart’s activity.

How are premature cardiac beats treated?

If you need treatment for premature cardiac beats, the Advanced Medical Care team could recommend eliminating triggers like caffeine and tobacco. You can also improve your overall heart health by exercising regularly, losing weight, and eating a healthy diet.

Blood pressure medication like beta or calcium channel blockers can reduce premature heartbeats. Patients with severe symptoms might need drugs that regulate their heart rhythm.

Your doctor can perform radiofrequency ablation if life changes and medication don’t control your premature cardiac beats. They pass a thin, flexible tube (catheter) through an artery to your heart. The catheter’s electrodes heat the tissues to create tiny scars that restore your heart’s healthy rhythm.

Call Advanced Medical Care today or book an appointment online for expert premature cardiac beats treatment.