^

Health

A
A
A

Ventricular extrasystole

 
, medical expert
Last reviewed: 17.10.2021
 
Fact-checked
х

All iLive content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible.

We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses ([1], [2], etc.) are clickable links to these studies.

If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please select it and press Ctrl + Enter.

Ventricular extrasystole (VES) - single ventricular impulses resulting from re-entry involving ventricles or abnormal automatism of ventricular cells. Ventricular extrasystole is often found in healthy people and in patients with cardiac disease. Ventricular extrasystole may be asymptomatic or cause a heartbeat. The diagnosis is made according to ECG data. In treatment, there is often no need.

Causes of ventricular extrasystole

Ventricular extrasystoles (VES), also called premature ventricular contractions (PZH), can appear suddenly or at regular intervals (for example, every third contraction is a triagism, and the second is a bigowy). The frequency of ventricular extrasystoles may increase with stimulation (eg, anxiety, stress, alcohol intake, caffeine, sympathomimetic drugs), hypoxia or electrolyte imbalance.

trusted-source[1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6], [7], [8], [9], [10], [11], [12]

Symptoms of ventricular extrasystole

Ventricular extrasystoles patients can characterize as missed or "pop-up" contractions. Feels not the ventricular extrasystole itself, but the subsequent sinus contraction behind it. If the ventricular extrasystoles are very frequent, especially if they appear instead of every second contraction, mild hemodynamic symptoms are possible, since the sinus rhythm is severely affected. Existing ejection noise can be amplified, as there is an increase in the filling of the ventricles and the degree of contraction after the compensatory pause.

The diagnosis is made according to ECG data: a wide complex without a preceding P wave appears, usually accompanied by a full compensatory pause.

Where does it hurt?

What do need to examine?

Who to contact?

Prognosis and treatment of ventricular extrasystole

Ventricular extrasystole is not considered significant in patients without heart disease, and there is no need for special treatment, with the exception of a pathology potentially capable of provoking the occurrence of ventricular extrasystole. If the patient does not tolerate symptoms, b-blockers are prescribed. Other antiarrhythmic drugs that suppress ventricular extrasystole may lead to more severe arrhythmias.

In patients with organic heart disease (for example, aortic stenosis or after a heart attack), the choice of the treatment method is a controversial issue, even if the frequent ventricular extrasystole (more than 10 per hour) correlates with an increase in mortality, as no studies have shown, that pharmacological suppression of ventricular extrasystoles reduces mortality. In patients after myocardial infarction, class I of antiarrhythmic drugs causes an increase in mortality in comparison with placebo. This fact, perhaps, reflects the side effects of antiarrhythmic drugs. B-Adrenoblockers are effective in heart failure, accompanied by clinical symptoms, and after myocardial infarction. If the number of ventricular extrasystoles increases with physical exertion in patients with IHD, percutaneous intraarterial coronary angioplasty or coronary artery bypass grafting may be necessary.

More information of the treatment

Drugs

Translation Disclaimer: For the convenience of users of the iLive portal this article has been translated into the current language, but has not yet been verified by a native speaker who has the necessary qualifications for this. In this regard, we warn you that the translation of this article may be incorrect, may contain lexical, syntactic and grammatical errors.

You are reporting a typo in the following text:
Simply click the "Send typo report" button to complete the report. You can also include a comment.