Advice please re EF.

[Gardener17]

New to this but guessing that EF of 29 is quite serious? Does this ever improve once drugs etc stabilised?

[stevejb1810]

An EF of 29 would certainly be regarded as being low. Typically you are looking to have an EF of around 55-60% or so. Drugs can help improve matters but it depends on a lot of things, not least why you have the low EF in the first place. A conversation with your GP and cardiologist will be needed to get a full medical explanation.

[Gardener17 in reply to stevejb1810]

Thanks so much. AF recently diagnosed and echo shows weak heart muscles both sides.

[Prada47 in reply to Gardener17]

Hi I have been down to 27% EF and now 40% so it can improve. I have an echo next month to see how it's going, Currently on 10mg Bisoprolol and 32mg Candesartan to try to strength Heart and give it less work to do !!

Best Regards

[Gardener17 in reply to Prada47]

Thanks so much for giving me some optimism! What time scale did it take for you to improve and how did you know? Taking 2x 40g furosemide, 1x 2.5 bisoprolol, 1 x 4mg doxazosin and warfarin at present.

[Prada47 in reply to Gardener17]

Hi

It was 27% July 2015 but that was just after CABG, over the next 20 months or so it improved but unfortunately my Heart wasn't improving so I needed some Stents in March 2017. Medication is 10mg Bisoprolol, 32mg Candesartan, 75mg Clopidogrel 75mg Aspirin 20mg Furosemide 25mg Eplerenone 20mg Omeprazole 40mg Isosorbide 10mg Pravastatin. But I feel in pretty reasonable shape main problem remaining, is a pile of Ectopic Beats and being Breathless on Exercise. I have an Echo in January and Appointment with Cardiologist in February. I see the Heart Failure Nurse every 6 weeks or so because of the erratic heart beat and odd Blood Pressure readings.

But again I do feel Pretty Good not Stressing and quite Relaxed EF Number is only an Indication. Most Important is How you Feel and how you Cope with the Diagnosis. I posted before my H F Nurse said every chance I will die of something else long before the Heart Failure gets me. Not exactly LOL but Smiling along. Just going to get a Beer out of the Fridge to celebrate Saracens win over Cardiff Blues and Exeter win over Gloucester last night.

Best Wishes

[Gardener17 in reply to Prada47]

Thanks so much - we are a bit less despondent now. Wish you luck in the future - enjoy your beer !

[purplerain58]

Obviously everyone is different, My husband had a EF of 7% at one point, Has had defib pacemaker fitted and is on various drugs ( all quite low doses at the moment). but he has gone from being unable to move from the sofa to bouncing around the living room to head banging music! He's 68, Yes there is hope, and like the nurse said, its only a number the EF is one factor.

[Gardener17 in reply to purplerain58]

Many thanks - good to read something positive Hoping things improve. Massive change of lifestyle to get used to as happened literally overnight. Thanks again and hope your husband continues to do well

[Hawdanoost]

Hi. My EF was down at 23% but is now up to 40%. I have heart failure and have had an ICD fitted. That and the drugs have made a great improvement. As others have said don’t concentrate on the numbers just listen to your cardiologist.

[Gardener17 in reply to Hawdanoost]

Thanks - waiting to see cardiologist so these replies are quite reassuring in the meantime.

[not2worry]

My husband is 83 and was diagnosed with CHF 15 years ago. His ejection factor dropped down to 28 last year - his only symptom was tiredness but was it age or the EF - likely a combination of both. Got a PM in September and made a huge difference in his energy - the day after the PM procedure he jumped out of bed and said Wow I feel great.

I believe EF is an important tool but sometimes I think it can distress folks. You feel pretty good then you get your EF reading and fear the end is neat. Not necessarily true! Hope and a positive attitude are medicines in themselves. No one talks about the mindset factors. Two years ago our cardiologist gave my hubby less than a year to live. As we left his office I turned and told him “well I have HOPE”. He’s a fantastic Doc and at our last visit in September he told me that Hope was as important to recovery than many patients don’t believe.

Enjoy each day, when you go to bed think of 5 good things that happened to you during the day and 5 things you will fi tomorrow to help someone you love or care about.

Merry Christmas from Across the Pond

[Gardener17 in reply to not2worry]

Thanks for your helpful reply.

[Yasyass in reply to not2worry]

Thank you for giving us hope and will of god people can recover u have showed me positive attitude makes a diffrence