Premature heart beat

Premature heart beat
A premature ventricular contraction marked by the arrow
SpecialtyCardiology
Emma's irregular heartbeat
Heart sounds of a 15 year old girl experiencing premature heart beats. Recorded during recovery after running, with the stethoscope over her tricuspid valve. Her heart rhythm is very irregular, with many premature ventricular contractions heard.
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A premature heart beat or extrasystole[1] is a heart rhythm disorder corresponding to a premature contraction of one of the chambers of the heart. Premature heart beats come in two different types: premature atrial contractions and premature ventricular contractions. Often they cause no symptoms but may present with fluttering in the chest or a skipped beat. They typically have no long term complications.

They most often happen naturally but may be associated with caffeine, nicotine, or stress. Usually no treatment is needed. They are the most common arrhythmia.[2]

  1. ^ "Premature ventricular contractions (PVCs)". Mayo Clinic. April 30, 2022. Retrieved June 1, 2022.
  2. ^ "Types of Arrhythmia". nhlbi.nih.gov. July 1, 2011. Archived from the original on June 7, 2015. Retrieved March 7, 2015.