hello. Posting for some advice here.. got an echocardiogram yesterday due to my primary wanting to put my anxiety to rest. I have had anxiety for nine years now I have had many EKGs cardiac bloodwork and I had an echo done about eight years ago, etc. nothing has ever been found. My symptoms I usually get heart palpitations. It feels like my heart will flutter once in a while, and it makes me anxious, so the test I got done yesterday went to my portal after a few hours. It stated that my left ventricle ejection rate was 41%. No other findings were found . But this means the good range is between 50 to 70 and apparently 41% is mildly low now my doctor did not call me. I reached out to him after panicking and he said nothing was acutely urgent I do not need to go to the ER. And assured me not to worry. My test results also did state under the findings that the test had technical difficulties?? which looking that up and asking the doctor could mean that apparently it could not be accurate? No other issues were found, and it doesn't really make sense for my age of only being 30 no heart history or in my family. Unfortunatly google tells you you are heart failure. Has this has happened anybody else because every other test I've ever got has came back normal. I have an appointment in a week to follow up with a real cardiologist and I'm assuming we will repeat the test my doctor stated. But i am terrified in the meantime that i am goinfg to die.
ejection rate: hello. Posting for some... - British Heart Fou...
ejection rate
Firstly, you will not die. Secondly, heart failure does not mean the heart is about to stop, it simply means it is not working effectively. At 41% EF, your heart is not working effectively. You definitely do not need urgent care at a hospital. You need further examination to find the cause of your reduction in EF and you will be medicated to prevent further reduction.
You are perfectly ok to wait the week to see your cardiologist. Most people on here live with a reduced EF. My brother and I have a genetic electrical conduction disorder - he’s currently sitting on an EF of 24%. I’m doing very well at 58%.
My advice is to write down all of your questions as you think of them. Note them in your phone or whatever so when you get to the appointment you can ask all your questions. Otherwise, like most of us, you’ll probably forget them and then when you’ve left the appointment you’ll be saying ‘oh, but I forgot to ask about…’.
thank you that does help I guess because I am only 30 and I have literally no history of anything. It really caught me offguard that's why I'm wondering if the test was inconclusive because the lab report said there was technical difficulties with / during the testing, which that could be inaccurate as far as weight, etc. but Google likes to tell you that if you have this you will only live 5 to 6 years longer so I started freaking out as I am younger and there was no other found cause of any issues
Yep, I get it. I’ve lived my life trying to avoid death from heart disease. My mother had her first arrest at only 38 years of age - I was 5. Her mother died when she was only 8 months old. I thought I’d avoided it all due to my dedication to being healthy.
When I then started having issues I was shocked and stressed. How could i also be going the same way as the others. I’ve accepted it now and you will too, given time.
Learn what you can about your condition but use Google wisely. You need to think critically with it. Not everything will apply or you. Cardiology is a complex and complicated area. Ask your doctor to write down exactly what you have and how it will impact you. Don’t be scared to say ‘sorry, but I will do research and ask questions of people later and I want of make sure i have it right!’ Advocated for yourself. Don’t be scared to ask questions - as many as you like!
You mustn't worry. I have an ejection fraction of about 20% and I'm still here after a good number of years with heart failure. I reckon most doctors are pretty good at the diagnosis thing, just not quite so good at the communication. 😉😄
Glad your still here! I guess I'm just more convinced that since the test said there was technical difficulties that it's not accurate because they said usually when people have an ejection fraction that's lower or out of range. There's another reason that comes hand in hand and nothing else was found in my echo. I've had no previous heart attack, etc. no leaks no blockages/ holes. And I've had this test before so I find it random that all the sudden with no other findings
I was diagnosed with HF and an ejection fraction of 20% five years ago. (I had a week's holiday walking in the Alps before I got the discharge letter.) Medication has restored my EF to a normal value. If you are offered a cardio rehab course, do take it. There you will be able to get accurate information on how best to manage.
1. Stop Googling
2 You are not going to die
3. Your Ejection fraction was low - ish but could be wrong.
4. If it was correct there are drugs that can help.
5 Heart Failure does not mean death. It means your heart may need help.
6 Given the "technical difficulties , your results may be wrong.
7. Stop panicking.
It seems logical to me that they will need to repeat the test. They should not diagnose anything, and then go on to giving life long medications, if they are unsure of the effect the "technical difficulty" had on your result. If it were me, I would insist on a repeat; otherwise there was no point in the first test if you can't be sure of the result.
Hi it's hard not to worry as your heart keeps you alive,but since last July having had no heart probs at all,had AF(fast heartrate), but they found a hole in my heart on echogram, I found waiting hard but I do know that if there is anything really bad they see you asap, I also found anxiety makes everything worse,I learnt slow breathing in through nose out slowly through mouth helped calm me down,I'm now waiting to see if need mending or not,please be assured if they think you're ok then you probably are but you have to trust
I had an echo during pregnancy due to skipped beats, I was admitted for 2 days, and I had an echo during my stay, I was told my ejection fraction was about 45%. I was referred to a cardiologist and had a repeat echo, I was told my first echo wasn’t accurate and that my echo was actually 59%. So try not to panic. I too thought I had heart failure, it might be worth asking for a repeat to make sure it is an accurate reading.
Hope you get sorted x
Hi ... Firstly, do yourself a big favour and stop Googling. Your EF is lower than it should be and from what you've described with results there seems to have been a technical difficulty so perhaps this hasn't given out necessary correct information. I wouldn't think from anything you have mentioned that you are about to die as you say and I think at the moment your anxiety is more likely to make you feel poorly. Try not to worry....wait until you speak with the consultant and in the meantime, write down any questions you have and let us know how you get on. Xx
Don't stress, my LVEF is 13%.
It's treatable so relax and let the medical staff work their magic.
That's reassuring. My sister is currently in hospital. She was diagnosed with heart failure, EF 10%, heart rate 170 and very low BP. She is receiving a cocktail of IV medication trying to restore her heart rate and BP. She is 81 elderly and not fit, but is optimistic they "will fix thjngs". What I'd like to know is to what level might normal life resume for her? She is a widow, lives alone but with limited mobility.
I have mobility issues, thanks to claudication (thanks to high cholesterol) and my low EF, I had a high heart rate and BP but medication has lowered my heart rate and my BP so much so that the cardio team have dismissed me as a patient as they can't do anything more for me (my meds are at the maximum dosages due to my now very low BP and heart rate and my condition is stable) and have referred me back to my GP for treatment.
And I'm 30 years younger than your sister, so she should consider herself lucky.
Tell her to take it easy once she's released from hospital modern medicine is highly effective.
Thank you. Im glad youre getting along ok, even if your mobility has its restrictions. Im sure each case is needs a different balance of meds, so it takes time to get that that right. One doc did imply she might be suitable for a pacemaker ( I understand there are different types for different issues) but nothing more has been said on this, and my sister is less inquisitive than me ! Thank you for replying to me.
As Douglas Adams wrote in the Hitchhikers guide to the Galaxy, Don't Panic!
Google is not your friend.
I went down the Google road before when a consultant said "oh , it might be pulmonary hypertension" as a throw away comment. It was actually a hole in my heart causing the problems!
IF you condition was serious, they would not have let you home.
Try some relaxation for your anxiety 
Glad you will be seeing a cardiologist. Rather than Google try the British Heart Foundation and the Pumping Marvellous websites for information / revision about the heart, how it works and problems that can occur. If you can find someone to go with you to see the cardiologist that can help. My husband and I take our list of questions and I take a pad and write down all that is said so we can review and discuss it afterwards. Having two people also gives you a little more space for thinking and the other person can ask questions too. Sometimes when we discuss it afterwards we have very different understandings of what was said so we then research, ask questions here etc. until we think we have got things understood. My husband's EF was 23% when he was discharged from hospital in March.
Recently my husband wore a Holter monitor for 24 hours which picks up the heart beat over the time it is used. I have seen other people here wearing them for longer. It took 5 months from when the request was made for the monitor to the actual monitoring.
just another thing to add to the great advice you’ve had so far and to reinforce the main one - you’re NOT going to die.
Ejection fraction, although hugely important, is judged by eye in the main. My EF has been judged to be 15, 25, 30 and 35%, although it generally hangs out in the 15% mark.
I’d give my right ventricle to have a 40% reading…
Oh, and I’m uber fit (for my age and medical condition that is) - walk/jog 10kms a day and then do an hours aerobic exercise on top.
First and foremost Heart Failure really is the wrong terminology as the heart hasn’t failed but is operating at a reduced output.I have just had an echo and have 3 minor defects but the operative word is MINOR and with medication etc my life goes on as near to normal as could be.I honestly don’t think that cardiologists explain things in a precise way and sometimes believe that there’re not sure of certain things relating to the cardio system. Don’t get me wrong they do an excellent job overall and we are all very grateful.
I think that doctors should realize that using terms like ‘heart failure’ to a patient or a patient’s family is going to result in some panic, as is the term ‘heart disease’, they know what it means but the patient thinks this is the end, well I did anyway, use Google but stick to the online information provided by hospitals and university teaching hospitals, avoid other sources in my opinion.
i hope the other posts have reassured you that you are very unlikely to drop dead just yet (but we all do one day🙂)
as well as the sites cotonh suggested you could see the Cardiomyopathy UK, they specialise in "Heart Failure" advice, info and research - they also have a phone helpline staffed by specialist nurses during office hours, and lots of videos etc to explain everything
now stop panicking and breathe.......🌺
Don't panic. My ejection fraction twas 23 % on a routine cecho.Holday cancelled . My GP was no help.Dont do this, dont do that so I panicked and was very worried.
I phoned the BHF helpine and they calmed me down and explained a lot of things to me. I saw a cardioloigist who put me on Bisoprol and told me not to worry- thre are a lot of things that can be done.
I had a heart MRI as I have afamily history of heart problems. MRI showed EF of 49%. Echo wrong ?? My cardiologist said I was strange !
I have a grandson who is training to be a GP and wehre he is traing they use heart insufficency instread of failure which I think is a better ddescription.
thanks everyone for all the positive words. I'm honestly truly going towards the fact that I think my test was not accurate, especially since it said technical difficulties and there was literally no other findings at all. I've had every test under the sun and with no heart issues in my family and my age of only being 30 I honestly want them to do it again... but cardiologist I was referred to today called and they had to move my appointment till June 19 as the doctor is out so they must not be in a rush. I got the test done at a lab place ordered by my primary soley for my anxiety...not even a cardiologist office so I'm hoping at the cardiologist office. It will be more accurate.
Are you currently exercising regularly? You need to do so in order to strengthen your heart as much as possible, plus it will be far better for your mental health than frightening yourself to death on Dr Google!
I am very active I work two jobs. I am a waitress for the one so I am constantly on my feet and the other one I work at elementary school and I am constantly on my feet as well. I guess I can do more actual working out, but I am definitely on my feet over 10,000 steps a day
That's great but it's not going to raise your heart rate enough, or give you the psychological lift to focus your mind and try to relieve you anxiety? Something that raises your HR for a sustained time is what's needed really, both mentally and physically.
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