ejection fraction

[knitting08]

my husband has results of a perfusion scan nothing is usable on the lower left side of the heart e f was put at 39 to49 percent I think that was what was on letter from consultant not sure as have mislaid the letter can anyone give any ideas how bad that is or any info at all thank you

[mandm65]

Healthy individuals typically have ejection fractions between 50% and 65%, damage to heart muscle (myocardium), following myocardial infarction or cardiomyopathy, compromises the heart's performance as an efficient pump and may reduce ejection fraction. Such reduction in the EF can manifest itself as heart failure. The 2016 European Society of Cardiology Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic heart failure subdivided heart failure into 3 categories on the basis of LVEF:

normal or preserved LVEF ≥50%

moderately reduced LVEF 40–49%

reduced LVEF <40%

Hope above put your mind a ease, but it does sound confusing why they calculate healthly LVEF as 50% !

[Prada47]

Hello

Could you find the letter from the original person/consultant asking your husband to attend for the scan ? and then phone the secretary to ask for a copy of the letter. Our your GP would receive a copy of the results if treatment was thought appropriate. EF is only an indication of severity of Heart Failure. I think 39 to 49 % is a pretty wide estimate for a Perfusion Scan thought it would be a more accurate figure. Sure someone will be along soon with more information.

Regards

[Karenpr]

After my husbands cardiac arrest his EF was 49 and we were told that anything lower than 40 would result in him having a pacemaker and or defibrillator fitted. Other replies have said the same as we were told that anything over 50 is normal. Just to let you know this scan was repeated earlier this year and amazingly his results had improved to 69.

[gmkilly]

Hi

EF is a measure of volume of blood your heart pumps out or ejects when it beats. Normal or average is said to start at 55%. Very fit athletic people will have higher.

Don’t get hung up on the EF number. My cardiologist explained to me that it is a useful indicator of how your husband as an individual is progressing, and that it can vary every time a scan is done. It can depend on how hydrated you are, if you’re stressed by the process of the scan, if you’re tired, etc etc. Also, he would say the accuracy of a MRI is better than an Echo. Also each individual functions differently, in the sense you could take me with EF best reading of 46%. I can walk well on relatively flat paths, and do 6-8 miles with a break for coffee etc. I know of another guy whose EF was lower than mine, and yesterday he went up Mount Snowdon!

Talk to your doctors and/or nurse specialist and keep asking the questions until you get the explanations in a way you can understand them. Hope that helps.

[jobe1968 in reply to gmkilly]

I had initial echo reading of 40% post HA

MRI rubidium stress test results showed 62 % 2 weeks later

Recent echo awaiting feedback? however the technician told me he often noted difference of 10% between the echo and CT scans.

I am hoping the CT is more reliable as it included normal heart rate pumping and under drug induced stress ( a little uncomfortable)

Somebody has already pointed out the numbers are a guide but not everything. My rehab physio explained to me, she had people with low EF who coped very well and others with more normal reading who struggled.

It is also age related, I found a study online which researched EF by age group and the ranges are fairly large. As mentioned before fitness plays a role.

On my first low reading post HA 2 days I was very worried! A couple of weeks later much happier. physically I felt much the same. However the improved numbers gave me a boost mentally.

Glad your partners numbers on the upwards curve. It’s good for morale in my experience.

Mike

[knitting08]

thank you all he has a defibrilator it is just not easy to understand sometimes what the readings mean

[Pommel]

Hello, I have heart failure and was told that they would not fit a CRT / ICD unless my EF was under 35%, if that's any help. My last reading about a year ago was 40% so it does change with meds etc. Hope that's a help.

[kel55 in reply to Pommel]

you really have to know which EF you are talking about. Normaly they quote LVEF but they could also quote RVEF as well as an overal guess at an EF. You need the letter or more info. It is also subjective and dependant upon the type of test. Age plays apart so does gender when looking at whats good and bad, so overal its an indication.

after a nuclear ct scan l was given a LVEF of 41 and 43% (normal and understress) (male, 56yo with Microvascular disease) yet 2 years later a Cardiovascular scan put me at LVEF 67%. Heres why it is only an indication, l have a low pump volume which alters the LVEF via how it is calculated.

See your doc or health profesional, usually a Clinical Cardiologist rather than an interventional Cardiologist is better for this

[CRTD]

I have Cardiomyopathy and heart failure , my EF is between 20 and 22. I had a CRT-D fitted as it was below 35. I still manage to lead a fairly normal life most of the time if that is any help. We are all so different and our bodies react in different ways so we can’t really make comparisons or have clear expectations as symptoms can fluctuate so much from week to week, day to day and hour to hour.