This patient story was originally shared publicly on Reddit and is embedded using Reddit’s official embed feature.
Why this story is interesting
This patient, who identifies himself as a physician, describes the sudden onset of frequent PVCs despite having no known structural heart disease and previously being in excellent physical condition. What makes this account particularly interesting is the systematic way he investigated possible contributing factors, including cardiac evaluation, blood tests, electrolyte status, sleep, stress, inflammation, and gastrointestinal disorders.
Notably, he observed that fasting appeared to reduce his symptoms, while endoscopy revealed erosive gastritis. He discusses the possibility of a gastro-cardiac component (often referred to as Roemheld syndrome), while carefully acknowledging that this remains a hypothesis rather than a proven diagnosis.
Although this account represents a single patient’s experience, the symptom patterns described—including meal-related changes, fasting, and gastrointestinal involvement—closely resemble observations reported by many other patients with suspected gastro-cardiac syndrome. Such recurring observations do not establish cause and effect, but they may help generate important questions for future clinical research.
Patient Profile
Outcome: Significant improvement after lifestyle changes and treatment of gastritis (patient report)
Age: 27 years
Occupation: Identifies as a physician (not independently verified)
Primary Symptoms: Frequent PVCs, palpitations
PVC Burden: 14% (24-hour Holter)
Cardiac Evaluation: Normal echocardiogram; no structural heart disease identified
Potential Trigger(s): Erosive gastritis; symptoms appeared to improve with fasting
Investigations Discussed: ECG, Holter monitor, echocardiogram, blood tests, endoscopy
My PVC Experience
by u/ComprehensiveTwo8013 in PVCs
Editor’s Note
The author describes a comprehensive medical evaluation and a thoughtful process of investigating potential triggers for his PVCs. While he suggests that erosive gastritis may have contributed to his symptoms, this remains his personal interpretation and should not be considered proof of a causal relationship.
Roemheld Syndrome is not currently recognized as an official medical diagnosis, and the relationship between gastrointestinal disorders and cardiac symptoms remains an area of ongoing research. Nevertheless, patient stories such as this may provide valuable observations that help generate new hypotheses and guide future scientific investigation.
Readers should not interpret this account as medical advice or evidence that the same mechanisms apply to everyone experiencing PVCs or other cardiac symptoms.