# Heart Rate Monitors and PVCs - premature ventricular contractions



## Jenny B (Feb 8, 2021)

Has anyone here found a heart rate monitor that works well for someone with premature ventricular contractions? I am getting very erratic data from my current chest strap. Clearly, my current chest strap is counting PVCs as beats. I've worked with customer service for my device and they said mine uses electrical impulses to count heart rate and that's causing the issue. Makes sense that it is mistaking PVCs for beats. 

Wondering if anyone has tried an Optical Heart Rate Monitor? Like a Wahoo Tickr that fits over the forearm instead of the wrist or chest. Also wondering if it is able to see the PVCs or no. 

Any other optical monitors you would recommend? I've read that the wrist is a very inaccurate place for optical monitoring. Forehead is supposed to be most accurate, but the only forehead monitor I can find is a bike helmet add-on. Would prefer a strap of some kind.

Makes using HR almost impossible when the monitor counts the PVCs as beats. It's always telling me I'm in too high of a HR zone.


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## Wetworks (Aug 10, 2012)

PVCs wouldn't result in you being in a higher HR zone as they are typically isolated beats, and if you are experiencing a few in a row that would be considered runs of v-tach.
An isolated PVC here and there is no big deal, especially if it occurs from the same area of the ventricle (monomorphic). A pattern of PVCs is a bit more concerning as it can indicate something called bigeminy/trigeminy/quadrigeminy.

Some things that you could be experiencing that may show up on your HRM would be runs of supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), atrial fibrillation, and atrial flutter. If I had to guess, it could be one (or both) of the last two. I'd like to think you'd know if your heart was raring away at 180+ from SVT or V-tach. Regardless, you need to go see a cardiologist it sounds like, sooner rather than later.


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## Jenny B (Feb 8, 2021)

I just had a stress test with the cardiologist and am confirmed to be just fine with my PVCs and heart function. This is an issue with a heart rate monitor. Specifically a garmin heart rate strap. Garmin confirmed to me that the monitor is counting the PVCs as beats because the HRM is “seeing” the electrical signals of the heartbeats and therefore sees the PVCs. I simply am wondering if there’s a HRM that others in this situation have used that works better. I’m not alone in this. There are forums elsewhere where others with PVCs have this issue with their Garmin HRM. Thanks for your feedback.


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## duriel (Oct 10, 2013)

I run a HRM all the time. I have found Garmin chest straps to be the best. But, I need to take it into the bathtub with me about every 3 months for a thorough cleaning in clean hot water to get all the salt & etc off, more if you sweat a lot, I don't. Otherwise it will start running very erratic.
I have tried about 5 different wrist monitors and they are all crap, most of the current units one has to stop excersizing, push the button, wait for 5-20 seconds while waiting for the 'number'. Not really any good for anyone that is actually trying to use a HRM.
I'm interested in your findings with the forearm unit if you get one, so please post back here with your final resolution.


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## J.R. (Sep 14, 2009)

If HR monitor is not working with your PVCs, maybe try the next better thing? Train with power instead. Somewhat more expensive yes, but much better consistency and totally unaffected by whatever your hearts doing.


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