Hello doctor, I had a 24-hour heart monitor on for tracing palpitations. Results showed nothing but 700 pacs. No runs. I am a 24 year old female and this number worries me. What is the amount of pacs a person my age would usually have? And how many pacs is too many? I fear of it leading to afib.
Hi. I can understand you may have Holter monitor or loop recorder. First of all, if you are reading from a machine, it is not accurate every time, a doctor needs to check the rhythms if your machine recorded something. PACs as you said, are premature atrial contractions, most of the time these are fairly benign rhythms and especially if your Holter did not record any atrial flutter or fibrillation or NSVT rhythm with that, it means its tendency to degenerate into an abnormal rhythm is very minimal. Next, it depends upon how many APCs you have and what symptoms you have with that. Usually, less than 5 to 10 % APC of total time are not considered a problem but if you have symptoms like dizziness, lightheadedness, and sweating with that, that may be worrisome even with 1 % APCs. Treatment is usually decreasing stress levels, cutting back on caffeine and alcohol and also if you snore at night, getting a sleep study for obstructive sleep apnea. If these things do not work for your symptoms, then low dose beta blocker, once daily (extended release) can be used and are very effective, I would suggest you have an echocardiography done regardless of symptoms for any structural abnormalities and also get TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) done. In contrast to PVCs, APCs are considered benign. Revert with more information to an internal medicine physician online -->