I Don’t understand what this means

[Truffles2]

what does preserved systolic left ventricular function mean? Is this normal ?

[Yumz199725]

My consultant says I have normal Bi- ventricular with preserved systolic function so I'm kinda confused too if I'm honest they don't really explain anything they just send us letters expecting us to understand what it means. 😢🤔

[Truffles2 in reply to Yumz199725]

that’s exactly that I got a letter following follow up appointment with this phrase. Have tried Google but it hasn’t been too helpful. It’s worried me a bit

[Yumz199725]

Thanks for explaining 😊 wish my consultant told me that 😆

[Digger0 in reply to Yumz199725]

Yes, they are not all good at explaining! Mine drew a lovely diagram for me of the hole in my heart!

[Yumz199725]

I didnt Google it which is progress for me 😂😅😎

[Lezzers]

I'm slightly confused here! Isn't preserved systolic LV function HFpEF? britishcardiovascularsociet...

[CDreamer in reply to Lezzers]

Yes they are. In this article they are talking about heart failure with preserved EF ie: the heart is not pumping blood effectively around the body causing symptoms but the EF number remains in the normal range. Remember that the EF is only a percentage - so 50% of a low volume can still show EF in normal range of 50% - 60%. EF is only one marker of many. The aim is to determine what is causing the HF if the EF is in normal range and from what I can gather, that can be complex and require evaluation from more tests.

[Lezzers in reply to CDreamer]

That's my understanding of it as well, though I assume if the Dr has written 'preserved' on the letters then I'm guessing the tests have already been carried out or the Dr is thinking it's a possibility. Whilst the explanation that was given is correct regarding the EF etc, it made no mention of HFpEF. I always say we only get snapshots of people's health & circumstances on here & without further information ie, what tests have been carried out, results, conversations with dr's etc, it's difficult to advise properly.I do know HFpEF isn't well understood, though it's very much on the agenda, it's a bit like the poor relation at the moment.

Perhaps when the OP"s have had their appts they could come back & let us know.

[Truffles2 in reply to Lezzers]

I had a triple bypass 7 weeks ago but have never had a heart attack just angina and there has never been any conversation about HF with any of my Drs. I thought the whole point of the bypass was to stop HF and heart attack and to reduce angina symptoms but am now worried I do have Heart failure

[Lezzers in reply to Truffles2]

I'm sorry that I've worried you, I'm not saying you have HF I'm saying that it's difficult to know what the dr's meant by 'preserved' as nobody here has access to your medical records.

Maybe phone your GP or consultant to ask what is meant by 'preserved' systolic LV function in your case.

I do wish dr's would be more aware of what their writing if they haven't discussed things previously. I have a copy of an ECG that my husband had recently & it makes reference to atrial flutter with AV block, low qrs, amongst other things. I don't recall seeing these terms before on his ecg's but nobody has mentioned them to us or told us what they mean for my husband.

[Truffles2 in reply to Lezzers]

Thank you Lessers. I was already worried and have tried looking on Dr Google and have worried myself even more. Dr Google is not my friend and I should know better. I will ask the question of someone as soon as I can. I think the Drs think I know every thing as I am a nurse but hearts are not my specialty so wish they would treat me more like a patient. I am obviously off sick at the moment or would have asked a colleague.

I know the ECG report for your husband must be worrying and you are right I think the Drs should explain more certainly being on the patient end has made me much more aware of what patients face

[Lezzers in reply to Truffles2]

Yep, Dr Google is definitely not our friend! My husband has HFrEF, I made the mistake of looking at Google which said life expectancy 1-5 years, he was diagnosed 10 year's ago!!

It must be even worse when you're part of the medical profession & not know what is being said. You could always phone the BHf nurses for help, though obviously they won't be working over the bank holiday.

I was going to post my husband's ECG results in this group for advice but thought all I'd really get is another members interpretation of it which isn't really going to help, like you I can/have googled the terminology but really need to know what it means for my husband's health going toward. He's just had a week in Papworth, hence the new ECG, & has appts in May & June with HF nurse, physiologist & he's own cardiologist so we will have to be patient till then.

When you get an answer would you mind coming back & letting us know? The only other advice I would give is, if you feel well then that is essentially what matters & having had the bypass your heart is now protected against having a heart attack & potentially causing damage to your heart. X

[Truffles2 in reply to Lezzers]

I know it’s hard to be patient and the worry until you get the answers is almost unbearable.

I think after the bank holiday I will phone the BHF nurses. I also start cardiac rehab next week so will see if they can shed some light on it. As soon as I get some clarification as what this means of course I will let you know and good luck with all your husbands appointments and hopefully you will get some answers too X

[CDreamer in reply to Truffles2]

I hope that someone made you aware that heart failure, although it sounds very worrying, not as urgent or life threatening as a heart attack. HF means your heart is not pumping blood around your body as efficiently as it could do. This can happen for many reasons and it is not always progressive. I think you would do well to have a conversation with your doctor or nurse and ask them to expand on your diagnosis and prognosis.

Best wishes

[Truffles2 in reply to CDreamer]

the cardiologist and surgeon say I don’t need any further follow ups so no tests had last echocardiogram before I left the hospital following triple bypass

Just am very confused because there has never been any mention of heart failure throughout my heart issues. Maybe I’m being naive and the fact that any heart problem is heart failure

[firstlight40]

Hello, I had a heart attack but this too was written on my notes, essentially as others have said it means your left ventricle which is key to pumping blood around the body is working well. Often with a heart attack the muscle which forms the left ventricle is damaged as parts of it die and so the heart doesn't pump so well.In my case the heart attack luckily did not affect the left ventricle and I have had stents to keep the main artery open along with lifetime drug therapy and lifestyle changes to hopefully keep it that way.

[HHH2017]

such a helpful informative reply, which has helped me too, thank you.

[Engineer46]

Hi Truffles2!

You wrote: "Maybe I’m being naive and the fact that any heart problem is heart failure."

This isn't the case, but you aren't the only one here to have had that thought. The medical profession considers "Heart Failure" to be a condition in which the heart does not pump as much blood around the body as it should do, in other words, the heart is not working as efficiently as it should. This can lead to symptoms such as breathlessness, fatigue, feeling faint, swollen ankles, etc.

If you have any concerns about your own condition, please discuss it with your GP, who should be better able to clarify the jargon than I can!

Best wishes,

Paul

[Truffles2 in reply to Engineer46]

Thank you Paul

Will certainly try and clarify the jargon with a healthcare professional, not sure my GP is the one to do this though I do not have great faith in him unfortunately. It certainly helps talking to people on here it puts things into perspective

[Truffles2]

Thank you Thatwasunexpected makes me feel a whole lot better

[Truffles2]

Sorry if I wasn’t clear I had an echo the day before I was discharged after my bypass surgery which at the time the surgeon said was OK. To be fare I was not completely with it whilst in hospital as was on opiates so don’t remember a whole lot. Then had to go and see cardiologist 6 weeks post op and In his letter to my GP it said this. I am feeling reassured I think now that this is OK

[Lezzers]

The OP hasn't been given any info which I think is the issue. I'm far from being an expert on it but I've only ever heard the term 'preserved' systolic LV used with connection with HFpEF, which has been sorely misunderstood until recently. If dr's are now starting to use the term to describe a normal functioning heart (pumping mechanism) then that's really gonna start muddying the waters, no wonder people are confused, especially if they Google it, which lets face it we all do at some point. I think this is the 2nd post recently that's mentioned 'preserved'' but there's been no indication of HF being an issue.

Will be interesting to know what the OP is told it means for him/her as I'd like to bring it to the attention of the HF 'experts' that I have access to & hopefully they'll be able to give advice that I can pass on.

[Truffles2]

Thank you so much and your so right I don’t think the doctors are great at communicating, I suppose because for them they understand the terminology they don’t actually remember that to us as patients terminology is a bit scary. Things need to be put in layman’s for us.

[Lezzers]

Yes, it's the word 'preserved' that's the issue There definitely hasn't been a change of guidance that I'm aware of, it would make no sense to use terminology that's describes a condition you probably don't have? If it was a GP that used the term then I could understand it as GP's have little understanding of HF let alone HFpEF!

Don't know about 'this guy just doing his own thing' as it's the 2nd time this phrase has been used.

The OP has said she'd let us know the outcome, I'd really like to get to the bottom of it & find an answer to it.

[Truffles2 in reply to Lezzers]

Me too