[RVV]

Mind Body Regulation & Cardiac Arrhythmias: Where Modren Science Meets Ancient Practices by Dr.Dhanunjaya Lakkireddy MD, FACC, FHRS- AF Knowledge Treasure Chest by www.jafib.com

Interesting video about role of ANS in initiation and maintenance of non re-entry arrhythmias and the possible positive effects of specific Yogic practices on ANS balance. I found this quote to particularly interesting, especially in terms of explaining benign and idiopathic ventricular ectopy: "Lateralization of cerebral activity during emotional stress may stimulate the heart asymmetrically and produce areas of inhomogeneous repolarization that create electrical instability and facilitate the development of cardiac arrhythmias." (Zingelstein BC. Acute emotional stress and cardiac arrhthmias. JAMA. 2007 Jul 18, 298(3).234.9.)
It explains why some of us have frequent PVCs when we are stressed out and why most benign PVCs come from RVOT (its not that cardiomyocytes in that area are any different from the ones in LVOT, for example, its just that area is more heavily sympathetically innervated).

I was wondering if any of the forum members practice yoga regularly and if it helped them to reduce their PVCs or anxiety?

[Jeff]

What exactly is lateralization of cerebral activity? And how might that stimulate the heart asymmetrically?

Side note: I am never playing that doctor in Scrabble.

[dr461]

I think that interpretation of an academic study requires some translation into plain English for the masses here--I don't understand one word of that for sure.

[RVV]

Sorry Jeff, I am not a doctor either... I just like to pretend that I am smarter than I actually am and through medical terms around like I am world renown Cardiac Electrophysiologist...

I presume (but, I don't know!) lateralization of brain activity means activation or maybe even overreaction of one region of the brain (responsible for certain emotional responses, for example) over another. And the reason it might stimulate the heart asymmetrically is because the heart is innervated asymmetrically (more asymmetrically in some people than others, apparently). Certain areas of the heart have more sympathetic nervous fibres than others, hence in times of emotional stress they are exposed to more adrenaline. Persistent and long-standing emotional stress (like in people who have anxiety/panic disorders, for example) could produce areas of inhomogeneous repolarization in the heart (usually in the RVOT, in most people afflicted with benign and idiopathic PVCs, most likely because this area of the heart is more densely sympathetically innervated), meaning the myocites in that region will be more irritable than usual and may depolarize before the SA node depolarizes (causing our beloved PVCs!).

This is just one potential explanation for what causes frequent PVCs in people with normal echo's. It doesn't mean we all get them for the same reason...This is just one potential explanation and it might explain the link between anxiety and PVCs, which has been noticed by many people on this forum. I hope some people will find this video and info useful and I really don't mean it to be scary.

All the best!

[CMoore416]

I haven't a clue what that said but I'm assuming stress is a huge factor and that it is MY factor. I think somewhere in that quote it mentioned stress? Lol I want to try yoga. Maybe I can test it out...

[Katie]

Yoga is great for me! Helped reduce stress

[Cheers]

I like yoga but some poses make me very uncomfortable. Being inverted seems bad for my PVCs and low BP.

[dr461]

Originally Posted by Cheers

I like yoga but some poses make me very uncomfortable. Being inverted seems bad for my PVCs and low BP.

Same here. Have the exact same reaction to the inversion position. I do standing or sitting exercise a lot.

[jkfrench]

Same here. Many of the poses and the breathing routines cause even more PVCs for me. I stay away from Yoga.