Artaud - PVC question

[Momto3]

There is a thread where one of the members (Fran71) asked a great question.  I answered based on what I feel, but thought maybe you could actually explain what's clinically going on during an episode of nsvt.  Here's the question....

"When one has a  10-PVC run, for example,does that mean the atria stay still and the heart doesn't pump for the duration of the run? I'd guess not! And if you felt your pulse during such an episode, what would you feel? During my strange PVCs, my pulse simply beats faster for a few beats, but I can't feel any pause, unlike the normal PVCs."

Any thoughts?

Thanks!
connie

[Momto3]

Hey Deedle, thanks for the clarification on the atria.  That makes a lot of sense now that I think more about it.

Ireno,  What awesome work!  I just saw a Heron (not sure which one) fly over the small lake by our house.  They are incredible.  The first time I saw one in a tree blew my mind. I didn't realize they ever perched.  Pretty cool!

[Fran71]

Thanks, Artaud, for the explanations and for pasting the answers from the other forum! I had seen the first, but not the second.
Yeah, the atria must keep on beating, since you can stay in VT for a while with no problems, I think.

I still can't figure out if there's a pause following NSVT. Probably there isn't?

Thanks all for considering my question! And thanks Connie for posting it!

Yeah, what matters is that no kind of tachy, when nonsustained, is a big deal!

Fran

[ireneo]

Thanks Artaud - in other words, it still gets down to seeing it on a strip. Either way, neither variety is a big deal. Wow, that sounds like terrible grammar.

Mom- our weather's been erratic, just like my heart:-). Storms tend to blow in the pelagic (ocean going birds) and that keeps life interesting. I did 2 field rescues this week: a Great Blue Heron and a gull. Not very exciting but it feels good to get out and about. The people that find the animals are so happy to have someone help out. It's fun to talk to the public.

[deedle1976]

"Atrioventricular (AV) dissociation is a condition in which the atria and ventricles do not activate in a synchronous fashion but beat independent of each other.Major causes of AV dissociation include ventricular tachycardia........"

[deedle1976]

I'm pretty sure that the atria continue on beating normally. The reason I believe this is that I've read about irregular cannon A waves in V tach occuring due to the ventricles and atria beating out of sync.

[Momto3]

Thanks Artaud!!

Just one quick question, when you refer to SVT, you mean supraventricular tachy and not sustained VT, right?  The fact that the acronyms are used in both situations further complicates trying to explain this stuff : )

I know what you mean, if I worked for a cardio, I'd be putting in 60 hour weeks just to get my work done....LOL.  If your wife decides to ask the cardio, tell her thanks from all of us : )  If not, maybe someone else will have the answer.

[Artaud]

Hi,

From a Doctor's response on the forum, sounds like a question similar to the one posed here.

The Question:

"1. You mentioned NSVT feels exactly the same as SVT in most people, I've heard SVT described as just fast but regular, can it feel irregular, like a rhythm thats "stuck"?

The Answer:

I should clarify that statement, it is a bit confusing.  NSVT by definition is nonsustained, by definition less than 30 seconds.  It is important to say that 99% of the people we see with NSVT have only 3-8 beats of VT lasting less than 2-3 seconds.  Most SVTs are also short runs of 3-10 beats, but a sustained SVT is much more common.  If your symptoms are fleeting lasting only seconds, I doubt you could tell the difference between the two.  If it is sustained, they would also feel similar but very different from nonsustained.

SVT is usually very steady and regular, that is unless it is atrial fibrillation"

http://www.medhelp.org/forums/cardio/messages/35849.html

And another:

Question:

1)  What would NSVT feel like if one were taking a peripheral pulse. Would it feel like a tachycardia (since people talk of rates in the 100's) or since its defined as 3-4 PVC's in a row, would it just feel like several skipped beats in a row?

Answer:

It would feel like very rapid beats.  The strength of your pulse is likely to diminish during those beats because blood pressure will usually decrease.  It might feel like a long episode PVCs if you feel your PVCs."
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/show/384934

Having read some other links, I found nothing conclusive on the issue of the Atria during an NSVT Episode, but I did find articles on arrhythmias that induce arrhythmias, and would tend to believe that the electrical activity (and likely the muscular activity as well) of the Artia continues on normally.

Interesting question, I'll ask my wife to ask the Cardiologist she works for, but she is usually squeemish about asking him questions. (I'd probably drive him nuts with questions).

Best of Health to you and yours.

[Momto3]

Just bumping up the question.  I'm hoping Artaud or some of the other members will be able to help.

Ireno,

We play our own games and still don't always win....LOL

How are the wildlife doing with all the cold and crazy weather?

[ireneo]

Yeah, that is a good one. Can a person feel the difference between NSVT and a short burst (say 7-8 beats) of PSVT?  Probably not but just thinking. I get plenty of mini-tachy's, those little runs but have no idea what they are. I did catch one on my monitor this month just for kicks. I don't think of them as real tachy times, just flutters. Same difference I suppose but it sounds better to say my heart fluttered briefly. Oh, the games I play with my mind. LOL