What is the Difference Between Ventricular Ectopics and Supraventricular Ectopics

The key difference between ventricular ectopics and supraventricular ectopics is that ventricular ectopics occur in the lower chambers of the heart (ventricles) while supraventricular ectopics occur in the upper chambers of the heart (atria).

Ectopic or heart arrhythmia is a condition of irregular heartbeats. This occurs due to electrical signals that coordinate the pattern of heartbeat becoming irregular. This irregularity could either cause fast heartbeats (tachycardia) or slow heartbeats (bradycardia). During tachycardia, the resting heart rate exceeds 100 beats per minute, while during bradycardia, the resting heart rate slows down up to 60 beats per minute. Heart arrhythmias are treated with medication, catheter procedures, implanted devices, and surgery. Ventricular ectopic and supraventricular ectopic are two types of tachycardic conditions that cause abnormally fast heartbeats.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Ventricular Ectopics  
3. What is Supraventricular Ectopics
4. Similarities – Ventricular Ectopics and Supraventricular Ectopics
5. Ventricular Ectopics vs Supraventricular Ectopics in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Ventricular Ectopics vs Supraventricular Ectopics

What are Ventricular Ectopics?

Ventricular ectopic is a disease condition related to the heart rhythm due to irregular electrical signals generated by the lower chambers of the heart (ventricles). It is called ventricular tachycardia or V-Tach. During ventricular ectopic, the resting heart rate exceeds 100 beats per minute. Ventricular ectopic occurs due to many reasons. These include poor blood flow to the heart, prior heart attacks causing scarring of heart tissue, congenital heart diseases, side effects of certain medications, and use of stimulants such as cocaine or methamphetamine.

Rapid heartbeats prevent the complete filling of blood to the heart chambers and do not pump a sufficient amount of blood to the body. This will cause a reduction in oxygen levels transported, and the individual will develop initial symptoms such as shortness of breath, lightheadedness, and sometimes loss of consciousness. The other symptoms of ventricular ectopic include chest pain, dizziness, etc.

If left untreated, ventricular ectopic could cause fainting, loss of consciousness, and cardiac arrest that leads to sudden death. Ventricular ectopic is treated with medication, catheter procedures, implanted devices, and surgery. Physicians decide the best treatment option available depending on the condition of the ectopic. To prevent the development of ventricular ectopic, an individual should practice good health habits such as a balanced nutritious diet, regular exercises, controlling levels of cholesterol and blood pressure, stress control, and prevention in the usage of illegal drugs and stimulants.

What are Supraventricular Ectopics?

Superventricular ectopic is a disease condition related to the heart rhythm due to irregular electrical signals generated by the upper chambers of the heart (atria). During this condition, the resting heart rate will exceed 100 beats per minute, causing different abnormal conditions in the body. The main symptoms of superventricular ectopic include rapid heartbeat, palpitations, fatigue, chest pain, sweating, and fainting. The causes for superventricular ectopic include heart disease and failure, chronic lung disease, pregnancy, and smoking.

The risk factors for the disease include thyroid problems, anxiety and emotional stress, diabetes, obstructive sleep apnea, usage of illegal drugs and stimulants. Superventricular ectopic treatment options are medication, catheter procedures, implanted devices, or surgery. The physician decides the best treatment option available depending on the condition of superventricular ectopic. If the occurrence of the ectopic is high, catheter procedures and surgery would be the best therapeutic. If not, it could be controlled via medication. A balanced nutritious diet, regular exercises, controlling levels of cholesterol and blood pressure, stress control, and prevention in the usage of illegal drugs and stimulants will prevent the occurrence of superventricular ectopic.

What are the Similarities Between Ventricular Ectopics and Supraventricular Ectopics?

• Ventricular and supraventricular ectopics are irregular heart rhythms.
• Both occur due to irregular electrical signals.
• Moreover, ventricular ectopic and supraventricular ectopic cause abnormally fast heartbeats
• They cause the heart rate to exceed 100 beats per minute.
• They have similar symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat, etc.

What is the Difference Between Ventricular Ectopics and Supraventricular Ectopics?

Ventricular ectopics occur in the lower chambers of the heart (ventricles), while supraventricular ectopics occur in the upper chambers of the heart (atria). Thus, this is the key difference between ventricular ectopics and supraventricular ectopics. During ventricular ectopic, irregular electrical signals generate from the lower chambers of the heart, while during superventricular ectopic, irregular electrical signals generate from the upper chambers of the heart.

The below infographic presents the differences between ventricular ectopics and supraventricular ectopics in tabular form for side by side comparison.

Summary – Ventricular Ectopics vs Supraventricular Ectopics

Ectopic or heart arrhythmia occurs due to electrical signals that coordinate the pattern of heartbeat becoming irregular. Ventricular ectopic occurs in the lower chambers of the heart, while supraventricular ectopic occurs in the upper chambers of the heart. So, this is the key difference between ventricular ectopics and supraventricular ectopics. Ventricular ectopic and supraventricular ectopic are two types of tachycardic conditions that cause abnormally fast heartbeats. Both ectopics show similar symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat etc.

Reference:

1. “Heart Arrhythmia.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.
2. “Supraventricular Tachycardia.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.
3. “Ventricular Tachycardia.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Ventricular Tachycardia” By BruceBlaus – Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “SVT overview (CardioNetworks ECGpedia)” By CardioNetworks: Drj – CardioNetworks: SVT_overview.svg (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia