What it means
A beat that comes before the next normal one and starts in the lower chambers. On an ECG it looks wide and odd-shaped, with no P wave before it, and is often followed by a pause. Clients may feel a skipped or "thumping" beat. Occasional ones are common and often harmless; they can be set off by caffeine, stress, low potassium or magnesium, or heart disease.
For the nurse
Note how often they happen and any pattern (every other beat, two in a row). Report new or increasing PVCs, check the client's symptoms and vital signs, and check electrolyte levels.
In a chart
"Sinus rhythm with occasional unifocal PVCs; K 3.2."
At a glance
| Also written | premature ventricular contractions, PVC, PVCs |
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Related terms
ventricular tachycardia
A fast heart rhythm that starts in the lower chambers of the heart (the ventricles), usually over 100 beats per minute.
dysrhythmia
A heart rhythm that is not normal: too fast, too slow or irregular.
normal sinus rhythm
The heart's normal rhythm, started by the sinoatrial (SA) node, regular and at 60 to 100 beats a minute in adults.
cardiac monitor
A machine that shows the heart's electrical rhythm on a screen without stopping, using electrodes on the chest.