Premature heart beat
| Premature heart beat | |
|---|---|
| A premature ventricular contraction marked by the arrow | |
| Specialty | Cardiology |
A premature heart beat or extrasystole[1] is a heart rhythm disorder corresponding to a premature contraction of one of the chambers of the heart. Premature heart beats come in two different types: premature atrial contractions and premature ventricular contractions. Often they cause no symptoms but may present with fluttering in the chest or a skipped beat. They typically have no long-term complications.
They most often happen naturally but may be associated with caffeine, nicotine, or stress. Usually no treatment is needed. They are the most common arrhythmia.[2]
- ^ "Premature ventricular contractions (PVCs)". Mayo Clinic. April 30, 2022. Retrieved June 1, 2022.
- ^ "Types of Arrhythmia". nhlbi.nih.gov. July 1, 2011. Archived from the original on June 7, 2015. Retrieved March 7, 2015.