what causes atrial premature beats
Premature beats that occur in the atria (upper chambers of the heart) are called premature atrial contractions, or PACs. Premature beats that occur in the ventricles (lower chambers) are called premature ventricular contractions, or PVCs. Causes of premature heartbeats.
Clinical Significance of Premature Atrial Complex (PAC) 1  PACs are a normal electrophysiological phenomenon not usually requiring investigation or treatment. 2  Frequent PACs may cause palpitations and a sense of the heart âskipping a beatâ. In patients with underlying predispositions (e.g. left atrial enlargement, ischaemic heart disease, WPW), a PAC may be the trigger for the onset of a re-entrant tachydysrhythmia â e.g. AF, flutter, AVNRT, AVRT.