AboutDavid Richardson Expertise Adult heart function and disease. Not very good about children lesss than 12. Hypertension is o.k. Heart rhythm a special interest.
Experience Certified in cardiology by the American Board of Internal Medicine. Was chairman of division of cardiology at the Medical College of Virginia. Am now mostly retired.
Organizations Fellow of American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology and member of American Physiological Society..
Publications Circulation, American Heart Journal, Hypertension.
Education/Credentials M.D. from Harvard Medical School. Residency training at Yale Uhniversity School of Medicine and Medical College of Virginia.
Awards and Honors Gold Heartt Award from American Heart Association in 1995.
I have recently begun to experience pvcs (50-100 daily last two weeks. I've been told they are not harmful, but I am trying to understand the physiological reason as to why they are not harmful. I just had a few questions that I was hoping you could answer.
1. In the context of a normal heart, what prevents pvcs from leading to more dangerous arrhythmia such as vtach?
2. I've read that an "R on T" pvc can be more serious; are these usually the result of some sort of heart disease or do they occur "by chance"?
Thank you.
Answer Dear Andy,
1. I'm not sure. PVCs are normal heart activity, to threat to life or health in someone with normal heart structure and function, no matter how frequent.
2. In normal hearts, R on T doesn't occur, only in abnormal hearts, and PVC's don't lead to more dangerous arrhythmias.
Please write back if this note doesn't answer all your questions.
