Different types of ectopics

[genorm]

Are ventricular ectopics any worse than atrial ectopics? Also, are salvos considered worse than extra ones, doubles or triplets? I have all of this lot. They seem to be evolving over time and my spells of AF seem to be interspersed amongst them. Thanks.

[Boombiddy]

Hiya genorm,

Do you have a way of recording them, such as a Kardia?

I showed my Kardia ECG's which had multiples (like your salvos?) of ventricular ectopics as well as singles, to my GP, and on the strength of this she referred me to an EP.

Everybody gets some ectopics, and I was watching Prof. Richard Schilling (one of the experts that the A Fib Association rates very highly) giving a talk (YouTube), where he said even if you get loads of ectopics, it's not harmful.

Confusing isn't it!

It's worth speaking to your doctors and keeping them informed. Seeing developments over time you are sensible to keep an eye on it.

[Mercurius in reply to Boombiddy]

A try to clearify. For an aFib three things are needed. A substrate (that is wrong activation circuit in the attria), a driver wich repeatidly activates the wrong circuit and modulator circumstacies as obesity, high blood preesue, GERD etc. If one player of the trias is not present - no aFib. Therefore if you don't have aFibs at all but PAC is peresent, then the PAC is "benign".

[Japaholic]

I am about 17months post pvi + isthmus ablation. No af, no flutter but singular and multiple PAC every few days. I have recorded them in my Kardia, printed them and shown them to my cardiologist. He said they are pre atrial contractions and not to be concerned as they are not dangerous.

I still take Bisoprolol 2.5mg daily, he said if I get a salvo, take another 1.25mg which does seem to calm them down.

Over all I mustn't grumble, I am such a better place than I was will full blown afib, 18/24 hours in AF.

[CDreamer]

I also get both atria & ventricular ectopics and doctors are not concerned but sometimes when I have a clutch of them it makes me very tired and breathless.

Thankfully I only have them occasionally but I know some people do have treatment if they are very symptomatic.

[Hidden]

Is a salvo when you have a little bunch of ectopics together? I get those... Just for a second or two. I was told 'that's not AF' by the doctor...

[Finvola]

I showed lengthy runs of PVC's to my EP and he said they were insignificant but probably uncomfortable - the same with PAC's but I was told by a cardiologist that PAC's CAN trigger AF.

The word salvo describes other wobbles very well - mine feel like an ectopic followed by half a dozen fast thumps and finishing with a massive ectopic. I intend to ask about these but cannot catch tham on my Kardia as they are so fleeting.

Unpleasant blighters but as Japaholic rightly says, better than AF.