What is Ectopic Beats? According to Dr. Boon Lim - Ectopic beats are also known as Ectopic Heart Rhythm or cardiac ectopy. It is produced when the heart creates a premature beat, usually followed by a brief pause.   Types of Ectopic Beats: 1. Premature Ventricular Contraction (PVC) 2. Premature Atrial Contraction (PAC)   Causes Of Ectopic Beats There are different causes of Ectopic Beats. Some of these are 

• Excessive alcohol consumption
• Excessive caffine consumptionPrescription drugs
• Stress (which produces high adrenaline levels)
• Exercise
• Diarrhoea and vomitting, which may disturb electrolyte levels (typically low potassium levels)
• Heart muscle damage from a heart attack
• Heart enlargement (cardiomyopathy)
• Valvular heart disease, such as a floppy mitral valve (mitral valve prolapse)

  Symptoms of Ectopic Beats Following Can Be The Symptom of Ectopic Beats:

• your heart is fluttering
• you are hyper aware of your heartbeat
• you feel faint or dizzy
• your heart is pounding
• your heart skipped a beat or stopped briefly

    How is Ectopic Beats Diagnosed? Different method used to diagnosed ectopic heart rhythm. Some of these are:

• coronary angiograph
• heart CT scan
• echocardiogram
• exercise testing
• Holter monitor
• MRI

How To Stop Ectopic Beats If possible, avoiding the triggers of ectopic beats is also key in reducing its incidences as most ectopic beats need not to be treated. However, your doctor might ask you to avoid excessive alcohol and caffeine. Your doctor might suggest regular physical activity if you are inactive. If the triggers are related to stress, self-help methods such as meditation or mindfulness or other relaxation therapies might help. However, if ectopic beats persist and are bothersome, treatment is based on the underlying cause based on the tests performed.