Premature ventricular contraction

What it means

Premature ventricular contractions (PVC) or ventricular extrasystoles are premature contractions of the heart that arise in response to an impulse in the ventricles rather than the normal impulse from the sinoatrial (SA) node.

A premature ventricular contraction (PVC) may be perceived as a skipped beat or as palpitations. Although they may cause symptoms such as palpitations or dizziness, incidental PVCs are generally considered benign. Highly frequent PVCs, however, can have detrimental effects on the left ventricular function over time and may cause or worsen heart failure. During a PVC, the heartbeat is initiated by the Purkinje fibers rather than the SA node. Given that a PVC occurs before a regular heartbeat, there is a pause before the next regular heartbeat. PVCs can occur in isolation or in repeated patterns. Two consecutive PVCs are termed doublets while three consecutive PVCs are named triplets. It is important to note that three or more consecutive PVCs are classified as ventricular tachycardia.

Rare diseases that can present with this5

The range is how often this sign appears among people diagnosed with each disease — it is not a probability of having any of them. Many of these signs also occur in common, non-rare conditions. A sign on this page is a conversation to have with a clinician, not a conclusion.

Part of the broader category

Also called: Missed heartbeat · Premature ventricular beat · Premature ventricular contractions · Skipped heartbeat · Ventricular ectopics · Ventricular extrasystoles · Ventricular premature beat