Understanding Premature Ventricular Complexes (PVCs)

What is the term used to describe two premature ventricular complexes (PVCs) occurring in a row?

Answer:

Two premature ventricular complexes (PVCs) in a row are known as a couplet of PVCs. This term is specific to the pattern of abnormal heartbeats within the realm of cardiology.

Explanation:

Premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) are a type of abnormal heartbeat which originates in the ventricles of the heart. They are extra heartbeats that disrupt the normal heart rhythm, often feeling like a fluttering or a skipped beat. When two PVCs occur consecutively, they are known as a couplet. It's important to distinguish between different patterns of PVCs because they can indicate varying degrees of cardiac health. For instance, a bigeminy occurs when a PVC alternates with a normal beat, while a trigeminy occurs when two normal beats are followed by a PVC. Frequent PVCs or patterns like couplets may require further evaluation by a healthcare professional to rule out underlying heart conditions.