BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuEctopic heartbeatPVB (premature ventricular beat); Premature beats; PVC (premature ventricular complex/contraction); Extrasystole; Premature supraventricular contractions; PAC; Premature atrial contraction; Abnormal heartbeatEctopic heartbeats are changes in a heartbeat that is otherwise normal. These changes lead to extra or skipped heartbeats. There is often not a clear cause for these changes. They are common. The two most common types of ectopic heartbeats are:Premature ventricular contractions (PVC) Premature atrial contractions (PAC) Causes Ectopic heartbeats are sometimes seen with:Changes in the blood, such as a low potassium level (hypokalemia) HypokalemiaLow blood potassium level is a condition in which the amount of potassium in the blood is lower than normal. The medical name of this condition is h...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Decrease in blood supply to the heart When the heart is enlarged or structurally abnormalWhen the heart is enlargedCardiomyopathy is disease in which the heart muscle becomes weakened, stretched, or has another structural problem. It often contributes to the hear...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Ectopic beats may be caused or made worse by smoking, alcohol use, caffeine, stimulant medicines, and some street drugs.Alcohol useAlcohol use involves drinking beer, wine, or hard liquor.Read Article Now Book Mark Article CaffeineCaffeine is a substance that is found in certain plants. It can also be man-made and added to foods. It is a central nervous system stimulant and a...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Ectopic heartbeats are rare in children without heart disease that was present at birth (congenital). Most extra heartbeats in children are PACs. These are often benign.In adults, ectopic heartbeats are common. They are most often due to PACs or PVCs. Your health care provider should look into the cause when they are frequent. Treatment is directed at symptoms and the underlying cause.Related video goes here for no-HTML5 browsers Symptoms Symptoms include:Feeling your heartbeat (palpitations) PalpitationsPalpitations are feelings or sensations that your heart is pounding or racing. They can be felt in your chest, throat, or neck. You may:Have an unpl...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Feeling like your heart stopped or skipped a beat Feeling of occasional, forceful beatsNote: There may be no symptoms. Exams and Tests A physical exam may show an occasional uneven pulse. If the ectopic heartbeats do not occur very often, your provider may not find them during a physical exam.Physical examDuring a physical examination, a health care provider checks your body to determine if you do or do not have a physical problem. A physical examinati...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Blood pressure is most often normal.An ECG will be done. Often, no further testing is needed when your ECG is normal and the symptoms are not severe or worrisome.ECGAn electrocardiogram (ECG) is a test that records the electrical activity of the heart.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article If your doctor wants to know more about your heart rhythm, they may order:A monitor that you wear that records and stores your heart rhythm for 24 to 48 hours (Holter monitor) Holter monitorA Holter monitor is a machine that continuously records the heart's rhythms. The monitor is worn for 24 to 48 hours during normal activity.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article A recording device that you wear, and records your heart rhythm whenever you feel a skipped beat An echocardiogram may be ordered if your doctor suspects problems with the size or structure of your heart are the cause.EchocardiogramAn echocardiogram is a test that uses sound waves to create pictures of the heart. The picture and information it produces is more detailed than a s...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Previous imagePlay SlideshowStop SlideshowNext image / Treatment The following may help reduce ectopic heartbeats for some people:Limiting caffeine, alcohol, and tobacco Regular exercise for people who are inactiveFor the most part, ectopic heartbeats do not need to be treated. The condition is only treated if your symptoms are severe or if the extra beats occur very often.The cause of the heartbeats, if it can be found, may also need to be treated. Outlook (Prognosis) In some cases, ectopic heartbeats may mean you are at greater risk for serious abnormal heart rhythms, such as ventricular tachycardia.Ventricular tachycardiaVentricular tachycardia (VT) is a rapid heartbeat that starts in the lower chambers of the heart (ventricles).ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article When to Contact a Medical Professional Call your provider if: You keep feeling the sensation of your heart pounding or racing (palpitations). PalpitationsPalpitations are feelings or sensations that your heart is pounding or racing. They can be felt in your chest, throat, or neck. You may:Have an unpl...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article You have palpitations with chest pain or other symptoms. Chest painChest pain is discomfort or pain that you feel anywhere along the front of your body between your neck and upper abdomen.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article You have this condition and your symptoms get worse or do not improve with treatment.Open ReferencesReferencesFang JC, O'Gara PT. History and physical examination: an evidence-based approach. In: Libby P, Bonow RO, Mann DL, Tomaselli GF, Bhatt DL, Solomon SD, eds. Braunwald's Heart Disease: A Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine. 12th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 13.Olgin JE. Approach to the patient with suspected arrhythmias. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 56.AllVideoImagesTogWhat makes your heart beat?Animation Related video goes here for no-HTML5 browsersWhat makes your heart beat? - Animation Let’s take a closer look inside the heart. The yellow objects are not nerves. They’re actually specialized cardiac muscle cells in the walls of the heart. Their job is to send signals to the rest of the heart muscle and cause a contraction. Together, this group of cells is called the Cardiac conduction system. The main components of the Cardiac conduction system are the SA node, AV node, Bundle of His, Bundle branches, and Purkinje fibers. Let’s follow a signal through the contraction process. The SA node starts the sequence by causing the atrial muscles to contract. That’s why doctors sometimes call it the anatomical pacemaker. From there, the signal travels to the AV node, through the Bundle of His, down the Bundle branches, and through the Purkinje fibers, causing the ventricles to contract. This signal creates an electrical current that can be seen on a graph called an Electrocardiogram, or EKG. Doctors us an EKG as a way of seeing how well the Cardiac conduction system works. Any changes to the EKG can mean serious problems.Heart - section through the middle - illustration The interior of the heart is composed of valves, chambers, and associated vessels.Heart - section through the middleillustrationHeart - front view - illustration The external structures of the heart include the ventricles, atria, arteries and veins. Arteries carry blood away from the heart while veins carry blood into the heart. The vessels colored blue indicate the transport of blood with relatively low content of oxygen and high content of carbon dioxide. The vessels colored red indicate the transport of blood with relatively high content of oxygen and low content of carbon dioxide.Heart - front viewillustrationElectrocardiogram (ECG) - illustration An electrocardiogram is a test that measures the electrical activity of the heart. This includes the rate and regularity of beats as well as the size and position of the chambers, any damage to the heart, and effects of drugs or devices to regulate the heart.Electrocardiogram (ECG)illustrationWhat makes your heart beat?Animation Related video goes here for no-HTML5 browsersWhat makes your heart beat? - Animation Let’s take a closer look inside the heart. The yellow objects are not nerves. They’re actually specialized cardiac muscle cells in the walls of the heart. Their job is to send signals to the rest of the heart muscle and cause a contraction. Together, this group of cells is called the Cardiac conduction system. The main components of the Cardiac conduction system are the SA node, AV node, Bundle of His, Bundle branches, and Purkinje fibers. Let’s follow a signal through the contraction process. The SA node starts the sequence by causing the atrial muscles to contract. That’s why doctors sometimes call it the anatomical pacemaker. From there, the signal travels to the AV node, through the Bundle of His, down the Bundle branches, and through the Purkinje fibers, causing the ventricles to contract. This signal creates an electrical current that can be seen on a graph called an Electrocardiogram, or EKG. Doctors us an EKG as a way of seeing how well the Cardiac conduction system works. Any changes to the EKG can mean serious problems.Heart - section through the middle - illustration The interior of the heart is composed of valves, chambers, and associated vessels.Heart - section through the middleillustrationHeart - front view - illustration The external structures of the heart include the ventricles, atria, arteries and veins. Arteries carry blood away from the heart while veins carry blood into the heart. The vessels colored blue indicate the transport of blood with relatively low content of oxygen and high content of carbon dioxide. The vessels colored red indicate the transport of blood with relatively high content of oxygen and low content of carbon dioxide.Heart - front viewillustrationElectrocardiogram (ECG) - illustration An electrocardiogram is a test that measures the electrical activity of the heart. This includes the rate and regularity of beats as well as the size and position of the chambers, any damage to the heart, and effects of drugs or devices to regulate the heart.Electrocardiogram (ECG)illustrationRelated Information Pulse(Medical Test)Heart palpitations(Symptoms)Alcohol use and safe drinking(Special Topic)Caffeine in the diet(Nutrition)Benign(Special Topic)Ventricular tachycardia(Condition) Review Date: 5/8/2022 Reviewed By: Michael A. Chen, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Harborview Medical Center, University of Washington Medical School, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. © 1997- All rights reserved. A.D.A.M. content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.Content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.
Ectopic heartbeatPVB (premature ventricular beat); Premature beats; PVC (premature ventricular complex/contraction); Extrasystole; Premature supraventricular contractions; PAC; Premature atrial contraction; Abnormal heartbeatEctopic heartbeats are changes in a heartbeat that is otherwise normal. These changes lead to extra or skipped heartbeats. There is often not a clear cause for these changes. They are common. The two most common types of ectopic heartbeats are:Premature ventricular contractions (PVC) Premature atrial contractions (PAC) Causes Ectopic heartbeats are sometimes seen with:Changes in the blood, such as a low potassium level (hypokalemia) HypokalemiaLow blood potassium level is a condition in which the amount of potassium in the blood is lower than normal. The medical name of this condition is h...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Decrease in blood supply to the heart When the heart is enlarged or structurally abnormalWhen the heart is enlargedCardiomyopathy is disease in which the heart muscle becomes weakened, stretched, or has another structural problem. It often contributes to the hear...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Ectopic beats may be caused or made worse by smoking, alcohol use, caffeine, stimulant medicines, and some street drugs.Alcohol useAlcohol use involves drinking beer, wine, or hard liquor.Read Article Now Book Mark Article CaffeineCaffeine is a substance that is found in certain plants. It can also be man-made and added to foods. It is a central nervous system stimulant and a...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Ectopic heartbeats are rare in children without heart disease that was present at birth (congenital). Most extra heartbeats in children are PACs. These are often benign.In adults, ectopic heartbeats are common. They are most often due to PACs or PVCs. Your health care provider should look into the cause when they are frequent. Treatment is directed at symptoms and the underlying cause.Related video goes here for no-HTML5 browsers Symptoms Symptoms include:Feeling your heartbeat (palpitations) PalpitationsPalpitations are feelings or sensations that your heart is pounding or racing. They can be felt in your chest, throat, or neck. You may:Have an unpl...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Feeling like your heart stopped or skipped a beat Feeling of occasional, forceful beatsNote: There may be no symptoms. Exams and Tests A physical exam may show an occasional uneven pulse. If the ectopic heartbeats do not occur very often, your provider may not find them during a physical exam.Physical examDuring a physical examination, a health care provider checks your body to determine if you do or do not have a physical problem. A physical examinati...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Blood pressure is most often normal.An ECG will be done. Often, no further testing is needed when your ECG is normal and the symptoms are not severe or worrisome.ECGAn electrocardiogram (ECG) is a test that records the electrical activity of the heart.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article If your doctor wants to know more about your heart rhythm, they may order:A monitor that you wear that records and stores your heart rhythm for 24 to 48 hours (Holter monitor) Holter monitorA Holter monitor is a machine that continuously records the heart's rhythms. The monitor is worn for 24 to 48 hours during normal activity.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article A recording device that you wear, and records your heart rhythm whenever you feel a skipped beat An echocardiogram may be ordered if your doctor suspects problems with the size or structure of your heart are the cause.EchocardiogramAn echocardiogram is a test that uses sound waves to create pictures of the heart. The picture and information it produces is more detailed than a s...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Previous imagePlay SlideshowStop SlideshowNext image / Treatment The following may help reduce ectopic heartbeats for some people:Limiting caffeine, alcohol, and tobacco Regular exercise for people who are inactiveFor the most part, ectopic heartbeats do not need to be treated. The condition is only treated if your symptoms are severe or if the extra beats occur very often.The cause of the heartbeats, if it can be found, may also need to be treated. Outlook (Prognosis) In some cases, ectopic heartbeats may mean you are at greater risk for serious abnormal heart rhythms, such as ventricular tachycardia.Ventricular tachycardiaVentricular tachycardia (VT) is a rapid heartbeat that starts in the lower chambers of the heart (ventricles).ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article When to Contact a Medical Professional Call your provider if: You keep feeling the sensation of your heart pounding or racing (palpitations). PalpitationsPalpitations are feelings or sensations that your heart is pounding or racing. They can be felt in your chest, throat, or neck. You may:Have an unpl...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article You have palpitations with chest pain or other symptoms. Chest painChest pain is discomfort or pain that you feel anywhere along the front of your body between your neck and upper abdomen.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article You have this condition and your symptoms get worse or do not improve with treatment.Open ReferencesReferencesFang JC, O'Gara PT. History and physical examination: an evidence-based approach. In: Libby P, Bonow RO, Mann DL, Tomaselli GF, Bhatt DL, Solomon SD, eds. Braunwald's Heart Disease: A Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine. 12th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 13.Olgin JE. Approach to the patient with suspected arrhythmias. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 56.