How do ectopics occur & reading the ECG

[secondtry]

Crystal clear explanation helped me youtube.com/watch?v=Hi7YWVU...(Not working as expected?)

[CDreamer]

Oooh I love Dr Boon Lim, he is one of the few doctors who understand arrythmias and Autonomic dysfunction. Thanks for posting! Great explanation.

[Threecats]

Brilliant! Thank you for posting.

[Kent2007]

Thanks for sharing this with us. I think it's the first time I've ever had such a clear explanation of what ectopic beats are. I was left wondering if both types of ectopic beats (atrial and ventricular) are essentially harmless, or does this just apply to the atrial ones?

[secondtry in reply to Kent2007]

Mmmm personally I wouldn't take any notice of ectopics until the frequency gets uncomfortable. Currently I get around one per day and I soon forget it happened. My cardiologist hasn't been very clear on whether they can develop and how soon as I guess everybody is different.

[Kent2007 in reply to secondtry]

My philosophy is to be grateful they are not something worse. I'm in a good phase at present - no AF for 4 months now. But, I'm getting ecoptics instead; mainly when at rest (in bed, watching TV). They are well-spaced. I have a technique which I've developed over the years in which I feel my pulse and count to 100, recording the numebr of ectopcis. In the past, I could be reaching 20-30 within 100 beats. At present, the average is below 1. So, I can happily live with that. Interestingly, though, as soon as I start being active, they disappear. So, I must get off my butt and start doing something.

[secondtry in reply to Kent2007]

Yes, I think your circumstances are relatively common. Like you say, I would keep active as much as possible, I rarely sit down watching TV or computer work etc for more than an hour without getting up for a break. I always recall the analogy mentioned by a medic or someone on this Forum that if you become too sedentary, it gives a chance for the 'little drummers' to start up referring to AF/ectopics.