Pac's

Hi, I am going nuts tonight. I am having pac's all day every day for the last few weeks. I hear that is dangerous to have this many, ready to go back to the cardiologist but just wanted to know what to think about this?

Thank you. Hope you are feeling ok. Didn't the doctor say having that many was dangerous? I seem to et these more when I am having allergies.

I am sorry to hear you are not feeling so great. Have they figured out what your chest pains are from? I hope you get better soon, maybe the week off will help:)

As a mostly lifelong sufferer of a benign arrhythmia, I can sympathize. Be sure to express your concerns to your doctor. Advice given on forums should be used cautiously, and only after doctors have ruled-out more serious issues.

It's common for me and others to discuss our arrhythmias specifically, but truth be known, without EKG verification when they occur, we really don't know for sure.

"Symptoms of PACs

Most often, patients with PACs complain of palpitations.  However, rather than reporting sustained racing heartbeat, they usually describe "missing" or "skipping" of the heartbeat.  Some patients even feel that the heart has "stopped" while others describe a sensation of "flip-flop."  This is due to the fact that the PAC comes too early (prematurely) in the cardiac cycle to have resulted in an effective pulse or heartbeat.  Therefore, no heartbeat is felt until the next regularly-timed heartbeat occurs after a pause (so-called compensatory pause).  Incidentally, the beat after the PAC usually occurs with stronger contraction than usual and can be associated with an urge to cough.  Symptoms of PACs are virtually indistinguishable from those of PVCs as the physiological effects are identical".

www.cardiachealth.org/premature-atrial-contractions-pacs

Presuming you are under the care of a doctor, and the doctor knows the frequency you experience these, the following page has always been a reassurance to me. My arrhythmia has always been identified as PVCs, with infrequent PACs. Concerning PVCs, this Electrophysiologist, a doctor that corrects rhythm disturbances via a process known as ablation, says that in a structurally healthy heart with no know deficit in the electrical system, that they wouldn't even worry about correcting the PVCs until there's more than 20,000 per day.

www.drjohnm.org/2013/06/benign-pvcs-a-heart-rhythm-doctors-approach/

Hope this is of some help.

Hi again.

Visit the link I provided in my last response. There is a pattern called Bigeminy. I've been in it for short periods of time, others longer. There is also Trigeminy. Bigeminy is a normal, normal, premature, normal, normal, premature.

My rule of thumb is for anyone that develops an arrhythmia such as PVCs, PACs, Runs of Rapid Beating (spontaneously arising), and pattern arrhythmias such as Bigeminy or Trigeminy, to see a doctor to rule out anything serious.

Likewise, if someone is unfortunate enough to have frequent premature beats or these other forms, and have been tested and examined by a doctor and told that their condition is benign, and suddenly experiences a change in what they know is normal for them, they too should see a doctor at that time and periodically otherwise.

I believe the drug you mention is Metoprolol, I take Atenolol. With my cardiologist's consent, I was only taking 1/4 a 50 mg pill twice a day, so that would be 12.5 mg twice a day. My resting pulse was about 60 beats per minute, I was concerned about it going too low. Getting 1000s of premature beats daily, I increased it (with his consent) to 25 mg twice a day. The number of premature beats dropped to hundreds, and after awhile, dropped to less than 100 per day.

It may be best to visit your doctor, tell him/her your concerns about your premature beats, and you could ask if another Beta Blocker may help.

Oops, sorry. Bigeminy and trigeminy as Kitt explained. Thank you Kitt.

Boy i am the same!!!!! Having these for years they keep me up at night so lack of sleep triggers them. I am 53 had all the tests done imaginable about 5 years ago and it was normal took myself off metatoporo about 2 years ago did not like side effects have not been back to doctor since tests i guess i am overdo BP is 140/78 not to bad seems like i am ocd and have anxiet as i am always checking my pulse want to exercise bot sppoked about the PVC'S do you think i need to get the tests again? it has been 5 years?? Have had some anxiety attacks the past few months were at rest i feel my HR going fast for a few minutes then stop i guess that is what that is unless it is AFIB which i am not sure. Heart rate is good at rest around 60-70 these things come and go like the wind but the last few weeks have been bad again