Effect of deep breathing at six breaths per minute on the frequency of premature ventricular complexes

Abstract

Although the effect of reflex increase in vagal tone on the frequency of premature ventricular complexes (PVC) is known, the effect of timed deep breathing on the frequency of PVC has not been reported. We serendipitously discovered that deep breathing at six breaths per minute abolished PVC in an 18-year-old female with frequent PVC, anxiety, and palpitations. In five of a series of 10 consecutive patients with frequent (≥ 10/min) unifocal PVC, deep breathing at 6 breaths/min reduced the frequency of PVC by at least 50%. This is possibly due to increased vagal modulation of sinoatrial and atrioventricular node. However, factors predicting the response to deep breathing, and the mechanisms involved need to be studied in a larger number of patients.