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You are here: Experts > Health/Fitness > Medical Specialists > Heart & Cardiology > radio frequency catheter ablation for pvcs
Heart & Cardiology - radio frequency catheter ablation for pvcs
Expert: David Richardson - 11/2/2009
Question
I am considering RCA to see if it reduces the PVCs that are keeping me from running, biking and even walking like and as much as I am used to. But since there is some risk to the procedure I am reluctant to get it. Maybe I just need to accept I can't do what I want. Maybe I should try a beta blocker. I am 63. No known heart disease. Recent Holter report over 25.5 hour period showed . Ventricular events: Total VE beats: 6397; Multiforms: 7; Couplets: 118; triplets: 1; Bigeminy runs: 67; VE percent beats: 9.38. AIVR episode: 1; Longest AIVR run: 4 beats; Min AIVR run: 92 bpm. Supraventricular beats: Total SVE beats: 107; SVE% beats: .16; SVE pairs: 0; Max SVE beats/hour: 25; Ave SVE/Hour: 4.3; Supraventricular runs: 0; Brady RUns: 209; longest brady run: 403 beats; Max brady rate: 29 beats. What do you think?
Answer
Dear Bruce,
Ablation of PVC's is very tricky. I sure would try medicines like flecainide or sotalol first. If your echo is normal, I suggest just exercise a lot and ignore the PVCs. They're harmless in someone with normal heart structure and function as shown on echo. Beta blockers are probably not a good idea with your bradycardia. 29 is pretty low if you were awake, and since that's listed as max brady rate, your heart may have been even slower sometimes unless max brady rate means lowest heart rate. 45 awake, 35 asleep are the accepted lower limits of heart rate, though if you have no fainty spells, bradycardia is good.
Please write back if this note is unclear or doesn't answer all your questions.
David Richardson
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