Women and Heart Disease, An Epidemic author: Larry Santora,Shalizeh Shokooh,Kelly Tucker asin: 1886571252

Learn more about PVCs or Premature Ventricular Contractions.

Shalizeh Shokooh, M.D., Co-Medical Director and Cardiologist

Visit Dr. Shalizeh Shokooh, M.D., the Co-Medical Director
Cardiologist of St. Joseph Hospital Women’s Heart Center in Orange, CA

Dr. Shalizeh Shokooh: Premature Ventricular Contractions or Premature Atrial Contractions are the beats that come early. The heart has its pump action and it has its electrical action and that’s this premature beating on the side of the electricity of the heart.

So if the heart itself is normal and works normally and pumps normally, these beats that come through are more of a nuisance. And if they are erratic and come here and there, it’s more of the symptom control than doing anything to have the heart move better or work better.

So there are lot of triggering factors and coffee can be one, alcohol can be one, lack of sleep and dehydration can bring these PVCs.

I have seen -- women during menopause – get more of it, especially if they had it in their teenage years or some time during their 20s or 30s. It may go away and come back during their menopause. Then after menopause it will be gone.

Again, it could be that there are changes in the hormones, the hormonal imbalances that are occurring and all the other factors that go with the menopause that be triggering these premature beats.

Again, if the heart is normal, they’re more of nuisance than being detrimental to the heart.

Dr. Shokooh is also the co-author of Women and Heart Disease, An Epidemic