Healthy Wintering Program
What is a premature cardiac beat?
Premature cardiac beats are a type of arrhythmia that occurs in abnormal clumps of firing cells outside the heart's sinus node, causing the heart to beat early. Under normal conditions, the heart beats regularly with the electrical impulses of the sinus node at 60 to 100 beats per minute. However, when abnormal clumps of cells appear in the atria or ventricular area, they release electrical signals that cause the heart to beat early, which is known as premature beats.
What are the symptoms of premature contractions?
Some people may not experience any discomfort and have a small number of premature beats, which are only noticed during a physical examination or electrocardiogram. Others may feel palpitated, feel like their heart is going to jump to their throat, or experience discomfort such as chest tightness.
How do I check for premature beats?
A routine ECG can detect premature beats, but some people may not have premature beats when they have an ECG. For more accurate detection, 24-hour Holter monitoring is recommended, which can record every beat of the heart over a 24-hour period, including premature beats.
Does premature beats have to be heart disease?
While premature beats can be a sign of heart disease, in reality, about 1 to 3 to half of people will experience premature beats in their lifetime. For those who do not have an underlying heart condition, premature beats are usually not too much of a concern as long as they are infrequent and related to sympathetic excitement (e.g., staying up late, being tired, stressed, drinking alcohol or drinking strong tea, coffee, etc.).
How to have a premature beat?
For people who have no obvious symptoms and infrequent premature beats, they can be improved by making lifestyle changes (eg, taking rest, exercising more, and reducing the intake of stimulant drinks). People with serious underlying heart disease with severe premature contractions need to be evaluated for the need for medications** or surgery**. At present, there are also interventional methods such as radiofrequency ablation that can be used for premature beats.