Premature Ventricular Contractions (PVCs) and Other Heart Rhythms

Premature Ventricular Contractions (PVCs) are not just isolated events and can occur with other rhythms such as those seen in ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation, or in the setting of various heart blocks. These arrhythmias are connected to issues in the heart's electrical conduction system, which can be diagnosed with the help of an electrocardiogram (ECG) or Holter monitor that reveal abnormalities in heart rhythms like atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, and others.

The normal, rhythmic beating of the heart is known as sinus rhythm and is established by the heart's pacemaker cells in the sinoatrial (SA) node. When arrhythmias become chronic, the heart may slip into a junctional rhythm originating from the atrioventricular (AV) node, necessitating potential interventions such as the implantation of an artificial pacemaker.