I asked my doctors if ejection fraction is something that either improves in the first few months or not at all. I've had conflicting responses from different doctors. One said its usually the first few weeks or month or not at all. Others said it can improve over six months, even longer.
What have you guys been told?
I was told the same thing. Ejection fraction changes based on several factors so it can go up or down.
After my heart attack I was told that some damage is permanent as dead muscle cannot be replaced, but that sometimes muscle can be bruised or stunned and this can heal. I think any improvement from the heart recovering from a trauma will happen relatively quickly (weeks) and there may or may not be an improvement in EF as a result. Seperately to that, EF can be improved with medication and also can be improved with exercise and fitness so it can also be improved over the longer term. So perhaps both answers are correct?
Hi, from my husband’s experience I’d say both…but it does depend on your individual heart condition, how you respond to meds, what else can be done to “fix” it like surgery etc. My husband has Dilated cardiomyopathy(DCM) and had a bicuspid aortic valve (2leaves instead of the normal 3). Meds increased his EF from 10-15% to 25% early on and it remained at that until several months after surgery for a new mechanical valve when it increased to over 40% then a couple of years later it was over 60%. He seems unusual with these results but needless to say we’re exceedingly happy! He believes taking Ubiquinol (a form of Q10) has helped.
Thanks. Glad to hear its improved for him 👊
I would think it depends on the condition that caused the problem. Mine improved over a couple of years, but I don't know how quickly as I was a long time between scans.
Hi, I had a “big” HA in July 2020 where my LAD was 100% blocked. I was going running that morning with the group I’m in. Thankfully the HA happened at home and I acted quickly to get help. My EF was 40% in the days after the event. They told me they often see EFs at 25 to 30% after an event as “big” as mine was, but since I was reasonably fit and acted quickly, I probably saved myself. My last Echo showed it is now 51%. I asked if it will ever return to 55 to 60% which is considered normal. The cardiologist said probably not, but it doesn’t matter whether my EF is 50% or 55 to 60. He said what matters is heart function, which, in my case, is fine, and he said don’t worry about it. So I’m not. Hope this helps, Graham
My husbands EF was 35% after his HA, it then dropped to 14% and most recently after a switch up of drugs it was calculated to be 35% although the imaging experts disagreed with the computer algorithm and have made their own estimate at ~25%. Despite the low number he feels great at the moment, doesn’t have shortness of breath and performed all within normal ranges in an exercise tolerance test. EF is just one of the many measures they use, it is approximated by a computer algorithm that uses images and it can vary depending on what machine you use to take the images (MRI vs ultrasound). I’d advise to focus on how you feel symptom wise rather than focusing too much on the number! Of course it’s great to see it increasing but don’t be disheartened if it doesn’t.
I had an NSTEMI in June 2019 with 2 stents for 80% and 90% blockage. An echo the next day showed venticle stunning and EF of 46% due to ischemia. . I had a repeat echo in 2022 privately, ironically done by a cardiologist from my local NHS hospital and my EF% was 65%.
It does depend on the cause of the low EF.
After my husband had a widowmaker heart attack his Ef was 30 and they said they would do another echo 8 weeks later as sometimes the heart is stunned and recovers but if not he would be classed as having heart failure. At the 8 week echo there was little improvement but 6 months later with help of medication it is 53 but still classed as having heart failure. He has been asymptomatic since having his heart attack.
Thanks for sharing. I am in exactly the same situation as your husband. Fingers crossed I get the same level of recovery.
Mine was down to 25% and the surgeon was disappointed it was only at 30% immediately after surgery (it may have been 30/35 I don't exactly recall now). They were hoping for a bigger jump but said all along it would be six months (on average, it could be up to 12 for some people) for it to show real improvement. Ten months later and mine was 55%. Now thirteen months on it's 60% but probably won't get any higher now. The cardiac nurse said it's mainly down to exercise (including before the op, bizarrely) and a little down to drugs & diet.
I was also told it's only a rough calculation by the health professional (usually the one doing the Echo) so can vary quite a bit depending on their ability, knowledge, experience, interest, mood.
On my husbands last echo report the calculated EF was 48% but technician estimates closer to 35%. That was two years post HA. When he left the hospital we were told EF was 38%. He feels good and able to work all day (farm/mechanic). He has his annual check in with cardiologist next week and will likely get a new echo done
after echocardiogram I was diagnosed with heart failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction, has anyone else had this???
Hi, I had a STEMI 3 years ago. The Right coronary artery was completely blocked with the consequent muscle damage. Some 12% of the myocardium was dead
They could not use stents because of the shape of my coronary arteries. So they opened the RCA with a balloon, and then gave me anticoagulant drugs to keep the artery open.
On release from hospital, me EF was 51%. Some 3-5 months later, a stress echocardiogram showed it to have improved to 61%. Later still, a nuclear medicine scan showed it at over 70%.
Not sure I believe the last one, but it does indicate to me that as the heart recovers from what was a pretty bad shock and muscle damage, it can get better at doing its job i.e. pumping blood.
Great recovery 👊
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