What Are Trigeminal PVCs?

A premature ventricular contraction of the heart, or PVC, is what people often call a "palpitation." Although it is considered normal to have PVCs on an infrequent basis, a pattern of these occurrences is cause for further investigation. Older adults are more likely to experience them, and consciously decreasing your heart rate can cause them to go away in some cases. But a trigeminal PVC is an indication of a pattern and warrants investigation.

PVCs Explained

• PVCs occur when the heart feels like it skips a beat or has an early beat followed by a delay that seems to last longer than usual. In reality, it is when a premature beat originates from one of the heart's ventricles. The beat seems irregular and usually is noticeable to the individual experiencing it.

Bigeminal and Trigeminal

• A bigeminal PVC is one abnormal PVC cycle and one normal cycle. Trigeminal means that the PVCs are happening in combination with two normal cycles and this pattern is repeating. In other words, you would have one skipped beat and then had two normal heartbeats.

PVC Causes

• PVCs can occur from harmless sources like caffeine, certain medications, stress, alcohol intake and lack of sleep. Yet, they can also occur as a result of arrhythmias, coronary heart disease or heart valve disorders. Talk to a medical professional about any PVCs you are experiencing so you can receive proper diagnosis and treatment.

PVC Evaluation

• To understand the cause of your PVCs, you will likely need to undergo some evaluative tests. You may undergo an electrocardiogram or a stress test on a treadmill while attached to a 12-lead ECG. More than six PVCs within a minute is considered abnormal, dangerous and cause for additional evaluation. Blood tests to check thyroid functioning and electrolyte levels are also recommended.