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Medical Author:

Daniel Lee Kulick, MD, FACC, FSCAI

Daniel Lee Kulick, MD, FACC, FSCAI

Dr. Kulick received his undergraduate and medical degrees from the University of Southern California, School of Medicine. He performed his residency in internal medicine at the Harbor-University of California Los Angeles Medical Center and a fellowship in the section of cardiology at the Los Angeles County-University of Southern California Medical Center. He is board certified in Internal Medicine and Cardiology.

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Medical Author:

Dennis Lee, MD

Dennis Lee, MD

Dr. Lee was born in Shanghai, China, and received his college and medical training in the United States. He is fluent in English and three Chinese dialects. He graduated with chemistry departmental honors from Harvey Mudd College. He was appointed president of AOA society at UCLA School of Medicine. He underwent internal medicine residency and gastroenterology fellowship training at Cedars Sinai Medical Center.

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Medical Editor:

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.

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In this Article

• What are premature ventricular contractions (PVCs)?
• What happens during a premature ventricular contraction?
• How common are premature ventricular contractions?
• What causes premature ventricular contractions?
• What are premature ventricular contraction symptoms?
• What are the dangers of premature ventricular contractions?
• How is premature ventricular contraction diagnosed?
• What are the treatments for premature ventricular contractions?
• Patient Comments: Premature Ventricular Contractions (PVCs) - Experience
• Patient Comments: Premature Ventricular Contractions (PVCs) - Symptoms
• Patient Comments: Premature Ventricular Contractions (PVCs) - Causes
• Find a local Cardiologist in your town
• Premature Ventricular Contractions Index

During a premature ventricular contraction, the ventricle electrically discharges (and contracts) prematurely before the normal electrical discharges arrive from the SA node. These premature discharges are due to electrical "irritability" of the heart muscle of the ventricles and can be caused by heart attacks, electrolyte imbalances, lack of oxygen, or medications. Immediately after a premature ventricular contraction, the electrical system of the heart resets. This resetting causes a brief pause in heartbeat, and some patients report feeling the heart briefly stopping after a premature ventricular contraction.

Premature ventricular contractions are common. Many people have premature ventricular contractions without any symptoms. Premature ventricular contractions may be more common among older patients, patients with high blood pressure, and patients with heart disease. Premature ventricular contractions can also occur in young healthy individuals without heart disease or high blood pressure.

There are many causes of premature ventricular contractions, which include:

• 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), for example, hypoxia occurs with lung diseases such as emphysema or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD);
  
  
• medications such as digoxin (Lanoxin), aminophylline (Phyllocontin, Truphylline), 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), and
  
  
• premature ventricular contractions also occur in healthy individuals without heart diseases.