Diagnosis of ventricular extrasystoles

The diagnosis of ventricular extrasystoles is made by means of long-term and exercise ECG. Since VES can be the first expression of heart disease, a careful clinical examination follows. On the ECG, ventricular extrasystoles are recognized as QRS complexes that occur too early in the beat and may be slightly widened.

They are not preceded by a P-wave. The premature QRS complex is followed by a compensatory pause (in contrast to SVES). The timing of the sinus node is not affected by a VES, since the additional electrical potentials come from the chamber muscles.However, the transfer of the sinus node potentials to the chamber is not possible after a ventricular extrasytole because the just excited chamber muscles are not yet ready for the next stimulus – it is said to be still refractory.

A pause occurs. Only at the next sinus node potential does chamber excitation occur again. VES in healthy individuals usually do not require therapy.

If the ventricular extrasystoles are caused by heart diseases, they are treated with priority. They are most important for the prognosis. In addition, the amount of the salts potassium and magnesium in the blood should be kept at a high normal level.

If the therapy of the underlying disease is not sufficient to stabilize the condition, a specific antiarrhythmic therapy must be resorted to if the extrasystoles lead to symptoms or must be considered as so-called “warning arrhythmias”, which are considered to be harbingers of impending ventricular tachycardia. This is the case from level Ivb of the LOWN classification. In most cases, class III antiarrhythmic drugs (amidarone, soltalol) are used in these cases. Class I antiarrhythmic drugs may only be used here in patients without heart disease.

Homeopathy for heart failure

Heart stumbles can also be treated well by homeopathy. However, it must be excluded that a heart disease is present. We have published a separate topic on this subject:

Homeopathy for heart failure