How to Treat PVC

People that experience premature ventricle contractions (PVC), also referred to as heart palpitations, usually describe it as a racing, pounding or fluttering in the chest. Heart palpitations are usually harmless and will usually go away within a few minutes. The first thing you should do is consult a doctor to rule out more serious conditions. Once you have determined that it is PVC, there are some at-home treatments to help you reduce the amount of palpitations that you experience. These treatments will also help establish a healthier lifestyle as well.

Things You'll Need

• Notebook or journal

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Instructions

• 1

  Pay attention to when you experience your PVCs. Write them down in a notebook or journal to keep track of the time, date, duration and what you were doing right before you experienced the palpitations. This will help you identify triggers. Once you identify the situations that are triggering these episodes, you will be able to better treat the PVCs and lower the incidents of them.

• 2

  Make a strong effort to get adequate sleep. Eight hours of restful sleep is highly recommended as lack of sleep may lead to more frequent PVCs. Try yoga, deep breathing exercises or listen to some relaxation music if you are having trouble falling asleep.

• 3

  Lower you intake of PVC inducing substances, such as coffee, caffeinated tea and alcohol. You should try to reduce these beverages down to two cups or less. Gradually cut these out of your routine to avoid caffeine withdrawal headaches. Stimulants, such as energy drinks and drugs like cocaine can also cause PVCs.

• 4

  Stop smoking. Tobacco increases your heart rate which can cause more palpitations.

• 5

  Reduce stress levels. Stress, especially prolonged stress, can cause a strain on the heart as well as other bodily systems. Pay attention to situations and environments that make you anxious, fearful or stressed. Develop stress-reducing techniques to lessen the effects on the body. Meditation, deep breathing, positive visualization and yoga are all good options. There are plenty of books and CDs available that can give you more in depth instructions.

• 6

  Drink at least eight glasses of water a day. The cells in your body need to be hydrated to function properly. If you heart is pumped cells that are not properly hydrated, you heart will have to work harder to pump them through.

• 7

  Monitor your diet and make healthy food choices. Keep your fat and sodium intake to a minimum as these are not good for the heart. You may notice an increase of PVCs after you consume salty or fatty foods.