Premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) are a type of abnormal heartbeat. Your heart has 4 chambers: 2 upper atria and 2 lower ventricles. Normally, a special group of cells start the signal for your heartbeat.

Are PVCs considered heart disease?

Premature ventricular complexes (PVCs) are the most common ventricular arrhythmia. Their prognostic significance cannot be interpreted without considering the presence or absence of any associated underlying cardiac condition. In the absence of structural heart disease, PVCs were generally considered to be benign.

When should I worry about PVCs?

PVCs become more of a concern if they happen frequently. “If more than 10% to 15% of a person's heartbeats in 24 hours are PVCs, that's excessive,” Bentz said. The more PVCs occur, the more they can potentially cause a condition called cardiomyopathy (a weakened heart muscle).