
Your heart is controlled by a conduction system which sends out electrical impulses. Ectopic beats are extra beats that arise from an abnormal site that is different from the normal pacemaker of the heart (the sinus node). What is an arrhythmia An arrhythmia is an abnormal heart rhythm. Ectopic heartbeats happen to practically everyone and are nearly always medically harmless, but the feeling can definitely cause anxiety. You might feel like your heart has skipped or added a beat, which is simply the proper timing being restored. A high frequency of extra beats in the bottom chambers can be associated with a risk of longer-term heart dysfunction. An arrhythmia, or abnormal heart rhythm, usually means your heart is beating too fast, too slow or irregularly. An ectopic heartbeat is a premature beat caused by a mistimed electrical impulse. In some cases, ectopic beats can be associated with an underlying heart issue or abnormality, such as atrial fibrillation or tachycardia cardiomyopathy. Certain over-the-counter medicines – such as decongestants and flu medicines – can sometimes trigger ectopic beats too. Ectopic beats can occur in the top (atria) or bottom (ventricle) heart chambers. On the other hand, they could simply be raising awareness of the extra beats. This arrhythmia occurs when your heart misses a beat or adds an extra beat. In a healthy heart, it’s possible that lifestyle circumstances – such as heightened stress and anxiety, or common stimulants like caffeine and alcohol – are triggering the condition. An ECG measures the timing and duration of each electrical phase in the heartbeat. During an ECG, sensors (electrodes) that can detect the electrical activity of the heart are attached to the chest and sometimes to the arms or legs. It’s not always easy to determine why this happens. Tests to diagnose heart arrhythmias may include: Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG). There are two types of arrhythmias: bradycardia when your heart rate is too slow (less than 60 beats per minute). Sometimes, however, those signals occur outside the sinus node this can cause the heart’s chambers to contract prematurely in an ectopic beat. An arrhythmia is an abnormal heart rhythm. The heart's rhythm is controlled by a natural pacemaker (the sinus node) in the right upper chamber (atrium).

The heart is made of four chambers two upper chambers (atria) and two lower chambers (ventricles).

These signals connect with the heart through a group of cells known as the sinus node – the heart’s natural pacemaker. To understand the cause of premature ventricular contractions (PVCs), it might help to learn more about how the heart typically beats. About heart palpitations and ectopic beats If you have heart palpitations, your heart may feel like its pounding, fluttering or beating irregularly. Our heartbeats are controlled by electrical signals from the brain.
