Ejection fraction

[45sue]

Can anyone explain more about LVEF? I know it stands for left ventricular ejection fraction & refers to the pumping of blood from one chamber to another. I have moderate LVSD ( left ventricular systolic dysfunction) with a LVEF of 30%-50 % but no idea what this means & can't find any info about it on the BHF website.

[Love100cats]

I'm glad you've raised this one. My echocardiogram put my fraction at 43%. People say that's quite good for left ventricular failure but I want to know if it's likely to stay the same, go down or go up?. I hope we get some answers.

[Lezzers in reply to Love100cats]

Your EF can go up or down however, cardiologists tend to deal with symptoms & not focus too much on the EF. Some people can have a high EF but be very symptomatic but others can have a low EF & have very few or no symptoms, it's an individual thing L. Hope this helps

[Lezzers]

Your EF is the rate at which blood is pumped out from the heart. I believe a normal EF is between 55 & 70. Its considered you could have heart failure if your EF is less than this, however, the measurement of EF is only one of the indications that is used in diagnosis. An EF of between 30-50 is quite a large range, I thought normally there was a margin of only 5. Your EF can improve with the correct medication & lifestyle & equally your EF can reduce, my husbands EF was 40 its now 30. However, you can have a high EF rate and be symptomatic & equally you can have a low EF with hardly any symptoms, cardiologists tend to deal with symptoms & don't put too much emphasis on the EF. You may wish to consider joining the closed pumping marvellous Facebook group as this is an amazing group for support & advice etc for people with heart failure, their families & carers. Or you could ring the cardiac nurses on this site. Hope this has helped in some way

[Vivi2711 in reply to Lezzers]

Agreed to IN TOTO with Lezzers since it is exactly correct

[Shar28]

Hi. A normal EJ is 50%-55%. An athlete may have one of 65% or even 70%. There an explanation of EJ on the cadrdiomyopathy UK website

cardiomyopathy.org/about-ca...

This page on the BHF website also mentions it

bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...

It’s only one measure of heart failure, which is more to do with how much you can do compared with your own normal. There’s an explanation of HF on the NHS website

Stages of heart failure

When you're diagnosed with heart failure, your doctor will usually be able to tell you what stage it is.

The stage describes how severe your heart failure is.

It's usually given as a class from 1 to 4, with 1 being the least severe and 4 being the most severe:

class 1 – you don't have any symptoms during normal physical activity

class 2 – you're comfortable at rest, but normal physical activity triggers symptoms

class 3 – you're comfortable at rest, but minor physical activity triggers symptoms

class 4 – you're unable to carry out any physical activity without discomfort and may have symptoms even when resting

And here’s the link

nhs.uk/conditions/heart-fai...

The BHF nurse helpline on 0300 330 3311 is excellent if you want more detail or advice about your condition.

Hope this helps.

[shopman]

Go to pumpingmarvellous.org/ have a look around then ask to join.

[Pippa1234]

Why dont you ask your doctor or google it

[Hidden]

My LVEF was 20%, when diagnosed. My cardiologist said he calculated it as follows.

1 take an ultrasound photo snap of the theft ventricle when fully expanded. It has 100% of the blood in could pump in it.

2) do the same but when the left ventricle is at it's smallest.

He then calculates the two sizes / volumes and compares to give the LVEF. My 20% meant that after the squeezing, my heart only squeezed out 20% of the blood in it when full.

It's quite funny to watch. He literally has the two pictures on his screen and draws the outline of the wall with his mouse. Looks hit and miss. I guess the computer calculates the two areas / volumes.

N