Had my MRI results. Everything was fine but my LV EF was estimated to be 55%. Given my left bundle branch block, sinus tachycardia, and ongoing symptoms, I’m just looking for others’ thoughts and experiences.
From what Dr Google tells me (I know, I know but when they throw random numbers at you without explaining then of course I'm going to Google it...) 55% is considered to be a ‘grey area’ or borderline abnormal.
I’ve been told to continue my bisoprolol and aspirin and have a follow up appointment in September to (I presume) discuss the results in full but would be interested in hearing from others who’ve had a similar EF % and symptoms.
Did it progress to heart failure? Did it improve? Did it impact your life?
Just the fact that my EF is only just within normal range, and given I'm only 33, it's not as reassuring as I suppose it ought to be.
I’m really struggling with shortness of breath, fatigue, frequent palpitations, and recurrent chest pain and it makes me worry that something has been missed.
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Becky-88
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My EF was 20% two years ago, with LBBB. I didn't have I was put on various meds and an ICD, it is now 60%, and the cardiologist has discharged me. 55% does not sound too bad. Dr Google is not very useful.
I’m just worried because I have significant symptoms daily and because, depending on your source, 55% is either fine or borderline abnormal.
In heart failure, 55% may well be a good result. But I’m not in heart failure so this is not reassuring especially when my symptoms are taken into account.
It does depend on your symptoms. I had none until I developed a chest infection. As soon as this was cleared up, I felt back to normal, even with a low EF, described as severe heart failure. Now it is in the normal range, I still feel no different. It is a strange business.
Wow I am impressed …what is your secret? My EF with LBBB IS 43% with no symptoms .. lots of activity and cardio work and it stays stable but no improvement…at least I feel well but would love to mine moving upward
I saw that, too. However, WebMD says something a little different:
“There’s a grey area when your EF is between 50% and 55%”
So it’s not clear cut. I wouldn’t say it’s “well within” normal range. It seems to be on the lower-normal to borderline range.
Some say 55% is perfectly fine, others say it’s a grey area. That’s not reassuring given my ongoing symptoms and other recent cardiac diagnoses.
My symptoms are keeping me off work and are impacting me daily. It’s impossible not to worry.
Dear Becky-88
If its any help my EF was the wrong side of 15% and they have managed to get that to over 60% with meds, bypass and an CRT-d fitted.
This is not to alarm you as I know that you are very anxious at the moment and rightly so with the symptoms that you are showing, its just to show you that they did all this for me and I was a lot lower than the 55% that your showing at the moment.
Please have faith in the system and they will be able soon to tell you their plans for your recovery.
If I was you I would personally keep everyone informed of my symptoms, this is important, please don’t worry if you have been told or that you think that some of them maybe due to your anxiety, that doesn’t matter, what does is that they are recorded for your future treatment..
Thank you. This was really helpful and put my mind at ease a lot.
I’m just terrified because I’m a carer for my mum who has multiple severe physical and psychiatric illnesses and has no one but me to care and advocate for her.
I’ve dealt with anxiety since I was 5 so I know the difference between anxiety/panic and cardiac issues. The symptoms I’m facing currently aren’t caused by anxiety which is why they’re so worrying.
There’s a strong cardiac history (including premature death in the 40s attributed to heart attack/cardiac arrest) on both my mother’s and father’s side so it’s not as if my fears are unfounded.
Thank you for telling us a bit more of your life story it helps us to make a bigger picture of both yourself and your problems. I can now understand why your worries are so strong and who’s wouldn’t be given your family history.
If I wasn’t having symptoms daily severe enough to keep me off work since January, then maybe I’d be a glass half full person.
But as it stands, I’m struggling and being told you have an EF of 55% which is either low-normal or borderline abnormal, along with LBBB and IST, when you had a perfectly normal life a year ago, isn’t the reassurance it seems.
What you want in my position is a very big green flag you’re okay. Not something that could be interpreted differently dependent on who you ask.
For me, 55% isn’t clear enough to dismiss my symptoms.
Hi. I saw a cardiologist a couple of weeks ago (Freeman Hospital) who told me that ef of 50 was in the normal range. Mine is 45 and he said it was borderline mild/moderate. I know how scary the numbers seem as I didn’t understand what it meant when I was first told. I didn’t realise that my ef had never been or could ever be 100% because it’s impossible. Finding out that my own ef had probably only ever been around 55% made things much less scary. I was also told that it’s only one measurement of how your heart is working. I imagine at the moment your head is full of “what ifs” and that you are constantly ruminating on your health problems. I’m so sorry that you are going through this but there are tons of people on this forum who have gone through similar circumstances and are still living long and full lives. There’s no reason why you can’t be one of them.
Thank you. Yes I’m going through a lot of what ifs like you said. As I’ve mentioned before, if I wasn’t having frequent symptoms that can be quite debilitating I wouldn’t be worried.
Hi.I was told that it wasn't about the ef numbers, it's about the symptoms.
Heart disease is prevalent in my family, both my parents died from heart problems. Both my sister and I have heart failure and my youngest daughter has heart problems too. My sister has an ef of 25 and she is practically symptom free, I have an ef of 40 and I struggle daily. I have similar symptoms to yourself ( especially breathlessness) , yet my sister doesn't have many symptoms at all. I asked my heart failure nurse about this and was told that even people within the " normal range" can have more problems than those with an extremely low ef.
Speak to the professionals if you can and ask the questions that you need answers to. Not many of us can be pigeon holed into the textbook definition, you're an individual and you know what's normal for you. So keep asking the doctors/ nurses and stay away from Dr Google.
Thank you. This is exactly my fear because I’ve heard the same things about the symptoms being the concern rather than the numbers. My EF being just being barely within normal just added to my concerns. I feel like it’s too close to borderline to call it normal with my ongoing symptoms, you know?
My appointment with my consultant isn’t until September so I’ve got a long wait to discuss my symptoms.
I just can’t believe that all my tests have come back normal and yet I’ve got a new left bundle branch block and sinus tachycardia that I didn’t previously have along with all my symptoms.
I’m not sure what else they can do to test because apparently MRI is the gold standard so I’m worried about being told to just keep taking my meds without a reason for my symptoms.
Hi there, Some cardiologists say the normal range is 50-70 and others 55-75, and the reading can be 5% either way, depending on who is reading the results. Mine was last 50%. I also have LBBB, PFO, microvascular disease, moderate mitral regurgitation and a LAD that is 50% blocked. I've also had takotsubo CM four times. If it's any comfort to you, my cardiologists don't worry about any of this. I just take my medication and carry on. So please question your cardiologist about anything that worries you and try not to stress. I know that's hard to do but stress causes heaps of problems. I have symptoms at times, SOB and chest pain. Although symptoms are now not as bed as I have got used to my medications. (Some of those make you feel dizzy an unwell at first. My very best wishes to you. 🌺
As others have said - EF is just a number guide. Mine has been 30-35 for ages but docs not worried as I’m OK in my self - not out of breath or ankle swelling etc and I’m able to lead an active life with no pain. However, EF figures aside, your mentioning of shortness of breath, fatigue, frequent palpitations, and recurrent chest pain would also make me feel uncomfortable so hope they get to the bottom of the causes or give you some reassurance at your Sept meeting.
Yeah, if I wasn’t having symptoms I wouldn’t think anything of it but my symptoms are near constant so it’s hard not to worry especially when everything else seems fine. There’s obviously something going on with me as I’ve had at least 3 episodes of heart attack like symptoms that have sent me to A&E so ironically, everything coming back normal just makes me think somethings been missed. I know my body and I’m not right.
Hi mine is 50 like you that seems to low . I have mild regurgitation but the valve is fine mild diluted LVH plus I have AF which without medication can rise to a heartbeat if 170 for now it’s under control but I get breathless still after mild work do much so I can’t do any heavy manual work . I have cardioversion booked in two weeks to be honest I hope this increases it as I believe it’s to low if the average normal is 50/55 -75 common sense tells me it’s not ideal .I wish I could help you but I am going through the same concerns as yourself
Thanks. Yes 55% seems on the low side. I know a lot of people are saying it’s fine and it’s just a number but given my symptoms it’s not reassuring me much.
I know exactly how you feel . I have seen there are ways to improve it . I’m only 52 which I don’t view as old but could do with a little weight lose do I’m trying that but I have no answer as to if it will work . I would like not to feel so breathless i it’s strange as a year ago I could walk 10 mikes with no issue now two flights of stairs leave me breathless at times before my medication even a king phone call would be a problem I know that silly but I could hear myself breathing on it
I am 72.Found to have an ejection fraction of 55% recently.
Also found to have a rectangular scar in the wall of the left ventricle measuring 3 cm x 2 cm
This was seen on a cardiac MRI.
It has been worked out that the scar has been present since age 15 when I ran a cross country race three days after having the flu and became very ill .
ECG done several five years later had major ST and T wave changes the cause of which was not understood as I was young and fit and I had forgotten about the flu.
I was advised it must just be normal for me to have these changes.
Played international rugby for four years and have trained hard++ most of my life and still putting my heart rate up to 155 to 160 when going hard .
My arteries are very good so this scar was not from any other reason other than viral myocarditis - a viral infection of the heart.
I'm mid 40s and have an EF of around 50 (according to echo) , MRI suggested lower.I've had all the symptoms you are having, from AF and associated impact on heart, as I've had since late 20s and its never been stable. But the symptoms come and go and I've enjoyed an active life in the main.
Currently quiet ish on the symptom front, other than fatigue but Im also off work recovering from 2 ablations in quick succession amongst some other things that have impacted my health.
Heart problems and premature deaths run in my family too.
I know it can be scary but EF of 55 is really pretty good and once things settle for you with an appropriate treatment plan, I'm not a medic, but would hope that the symptoms reduce and the EF function may increase (depending on treatment) or at least not decline any further.
But as I said, “clear enough” isn’t reassuring to me. I wrote another reply to someone further down which details my family history of sudden death due to heart issues in their 40s (I’m 33) so it’s a worry, especially in the face of my ongoing symptoms. If I didn’t have symptoms I doubt I’d be concerned.
I wish I could take comfort in a ‘good enough’ result but it’s really not as reassuring as it sounds when I’ve got ongoing symptoms and a strong family history.
Hello Becky, last October 24th I had a STEMI heart attack which developed after a run along the seafront at Bournemouth, despite the ambulance not arriving, my son and wife got me to hospital in time. They fitted a stent into the blocked artery, the next day when they did an Echocardiogram, my Ejection Fraction was 55%. Now 9 months later I am back to running 12 miles a week and aiming to do an sub 55 minute 10k in October. I will be 60 in December, so don’t worry too much you will improve.
I have hypothyroidism, sinus tackycardia(and pvc and pac) and moderate MR. I have those symptoms too. I take bisoprolol but still have chest pain, arrhythmia, fatigue( sometimes I don't have energy to do the simplest activities like cooking and I cry!), shortness of breath when lying down, sleep apnea, swelling in ankles and . Unfortunately they tell me these symptoms aren't related to my heart problem and I need to see a psychiatrist!
I have almost all those same symptoms. The fatigue can be overwhelming some days. If I exercise too hard (and by that I mean walking quickly, not running marathons or anything crazy) I get chest pain/jaw pain/arm tingling/sob and have to stop and my heart rate will be way higher than it should be for walking. I get symptoms both at rest and during activity.
It makes no sense to me that my MRI came back fine when I’ve got a new LBBB and sinus tachycardia that I didn’t used to have. These issues must be caused by something so it’s confusing to me. Hence why I’m focused on the EF as it’s the only thing which has come back even remotely questionable and as it’s open to interpretation I’m worried it’s been overstated and therefore overlooked. I also don’t get why my cardiologist wants a follow up appointment if there’s nothing wrong or why I’m still being advised to take aspirin and bisoprolol.
It sounds awful what you’re being told by your cardiologist. Are you able to get a second opinion? It certainly doesn’t sound psychiatric given your existing heart problems. I’d be furious being fobbed off like that.
Becky, ejection factor which is 55% is in my opinion is good because in my case although EF was 45 % , the other parameters of the echocardiogram was normal. Did you have an echo before and if so how the present one compared with the past?. You are so young and I am concerned with left bundle branch block ....LBBB which indicates you have ischaemic heart disease and further tests are required. What are your current symptoms? Has your cardiologist mentioned about doing STRESS ECHO?
I did have an echo but my erm… female anatomy got in the way and the sonographer couldn’t get clear images of the left side. They originally wanted to do a contrast echo but decided on an MRI instead. They haven’t mentioned a stress echo but I’m going to ask for it myself when I speak to my consultant in September as some of my symptoms are brought on by exercise.
I’ve heard the same regarding the LBBB. Apparently it’s almost always a sign of underlying heart disease so it’s a concern. Especially as this is a new development so something has triggered it.
My symptoms are:
Shortness of breath
Extreme fatigue
Palpitations
Episodes of heart attack symptoms (hot sweats, clammy skin, chest pain/pressure, shortness of breath, sometimes dizziness/feeling faint).
Some of my symptoms occur alone and others come in clusters. The palpitations happen almost daily and the shortness of breath can be really challenging to deal with. Weirdly I’m asthmatic and it doesn’t feel at all like a problem with my lungs and my inhaler doesn’t touch it. It feels like I’m drowning, as if no matter how deep I breathe I can’t get oxygen. I’ve heard it described as air hunger before which is a good term for it.
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