Ectopic HeartbeatSymptoms, Doctors, Treatments, Advances & More
Learn About Ectopic Heartbeat
Ectopic heartbeats are changes in a heartbeat that is otherwise normal. These changes lead to extra or skipped heartbeats. There is often not a clear cause for these changes. They are common.
The two most common types of ectopic heartbeats are:
- Premature ventricular contractions (PVC)
- Premature atrial contractions (PAC)
PVB (premature ventricular beat); Premature beats; PVC (premature ventricular complex/contraction); Extrasystole; Premature supraventricular contractions; PAC; Premature atrial contraction; Abnormal heartbeat
Ectopic heartbeats are sometimes seen with:
- Changes in the blood, such as a low potassium level (hypokalemia)
- A decrease in blood supply to the heart
- When the heart is enlarged or structurally abnormal
Ectopic beats may be caused or made worse by smoking, alcohol use, caffeine, stimulant medicines, and some street drugs.
Ectopic heartbeats are rare in children without heart disease that was present at birth (congenital). Most extra heartbeats in children are PACs. These are often benign.
In adults, ectopic heartbeats are common. They are most often due to PACs or PVCs. Your health care provider should look into the cause when they are frequent. Treatment is directed at symptoms and the underlying cause.
Symptoms include:
- Feeling your heartbeat (palpitations)
- Feeling like your heart stopped or skipped a beat
- Feeling of occasional, forceful beats
Note: There may be no symptoms.
The following may help reduce ectopic heartbeats for some people:
- Limiting caffeine, alcohol, and tobacco
- Regular exercise for people who are inactive
For the most part, ectopic heartbeats do not need to be treated. The condition is only treated if your symptoms are severe or if the extra beats occur very often.
The cause of the heartbeats, if it can be found, may also need to be treated.
Montefiore Medical Center
Andrea Natale is a Cardiac Electrophysiologist practicing medicine in Bronx, New York. Dr. Natale is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Ectopic Heartbeat. He is also highly rated in 31 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Atrial Fibrillation, Arrhythmias, Ventricular Tachycardia, Cardiac Ablation, and Pacemaker Implantation.
Montefiore Medical Center
Luigi Di Biase, MD, PhD, FACC, FHRS, is Section Head of Electrophysiology and Director of Arrhythmia Services at Montefiore as well as Professor of Medicine (Cardiology) at our Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Dr. Di Biase is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Ectopic Heartbeat. He is also highly rated in 23 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Atrial Fibrillation, Arrhythmias, Ventricular Tachycardia, Cardiac Ablation, and Pacemaker Implantation.
MUSC Health Cardiology At Ashley River Tower
Dr. Jeffrey Winterfield is an associate professor of cardiac electrophysiology at the Medical University of South Carolina. He received his undergraduate degree from Amherst College in Massachusetts and his medical degree with honors from the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine. He completed his internal medicine training at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. After completing his internal medicine residency, he was selected for a highly competitive fellowship in cardiovascular medicine at the Brigham and Women's Hospital, part of Harvard Medical School, in Boston. Dr. Winterfield's interest includes cardiac arrhythmias; he remained on service at the Brigham and Women's Hospital as a fellow in clinical cardiac electrophysiology where he trained with several leaders in the field. In 2011, he took his first faculty position in the prestigious heart rhythm program at Loyola University Medical Center in Chicago where he remained for five years. During that time in Chicago, he published multiple papers and abstracts, participated as a principal investigator in clinical trials regarding complex rhythm management, and served as faculty in national and international meetings. In 2016, he was recruited to MUSC for his expertise in catheter ablation of complex arrhythmias, particularly ventricular tachycardia (VT) and premature ventricular contractions (PVCs). He has special expertise in catheter ablation of arrhythmias on the outside of the heart (epicardial VT). Dr. Winterfield takes care of adult patients with cardiac rhythm disturbances including supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), Wolf-Parkinson-White (WPW), atrial fibrillation (AF), as well as premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) and ventricular tachycardia (VT). He has a particular interest in VT in patients with advanced heart disease including ischemic and non-ischemic cardiomyopathies. Dr. Winterfield is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Ectopic Heartbeat. He is also highly rated in 19 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Ventricular Tachycardia, Arrhythmias, Ectopic Heartbeat, Cardiac Ablation, and Pacemaker Implantation. Dr. Winterfield is currently accepting new patients.
In some cases, ectopic heartbeats may mean you are at greater risk for serious abnormal heart rhythms, such as ventricular tachycardia.
Contact your provider if:
- You keep feeling the sensation of your heart pounding or racing (palpitations).
- You have palpitations with chest pain or other symptoms.
- You have this condition and your symptoms get worse or do not improve with treatment.
Summary: The goal of this observational study is to determine if electrophysiologic mapping and cardiac MRI can help identify patients that have genetic forms of cardiomyopathy that are at high risk for development of dangerous ventricular arrhythmias. The investigators aim to study: 1. the prevalence and mechanism of inducible ventricular tachycardia 2. pace-mapping to define the site of origin of ventric...
Summary: Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) affects up to 3% of the general population and a small subset of patients is at risk for ventricular arrhythmias. This subgroup is referred to as AMVP (arrhythmic MVP) and was recently defined using the following criteria: (1) Presence of MVP), (2) Ventricular arrhythmia that is either frequent (≥5% total premature ventricular contraction (PVC) burden on Holter) or comp...
Published Date: April 28, 2026
Published By: Michael A. Chen, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Harborview Medical Center, University of Washington Medical School, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
Fang JC, Metkus TS, O'Gara PT. History, physical examination, and the virtual visit. In: Bonow RO, Mann DL, Tomaselli GF, et al, eds. Braunwald's Heart Disease: A Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine. 13th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2026:chap 11.
Olgin JE. Approach to the patient with suspected arrhythmias. In: Goldman L, Cooney KA, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 27th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:chap 49.