Hearing your heart ejection fraction is low can generate a lot of questions, like why it’s low and what can you do to improve it. At Aurora, diagnosing and treating heart conditions is our specialty. With unparalleled expertise, we’re one of the most active cardiovascular programs in Wisconsin. Our experienced team is here to get you the answers – and the right care – you need to keep your heart ejection fraction within normal range. Show
What is low ejection fraction?Ejection fraction measures how well your heart is functioning. It’s expressed as a percentage and indicates how much blood your heart is pumping out with each contraction. For example, an ejection fraction of 60% means your heart is pumping 60% of your blood out of your left ventricle (its main pumping chamber) every time your heart beats. Generally, a normal range for left ventricular ejection fraction is between 55% and 70%. Low ejection fraction, sometimes called low EF, is when your ejection fraction falls below the normal range. It means your heart isn’t functioning as well as it should. Your doctor will want to thoroughly check you for a heart condition to find the cause. A low number can be serious. If your ejection fraction is 35% or below, you’re at high risk of developing a dangerous arrythmia or even heart failure. Low ejection fraction symptomsIf you have two or more signs of low ejection fraction, particularly if you know you already have a heart condition, see your doctor right away. Symptoms can include:
Low ejection fraction causesAn ejection fraction that falls lower than the normal range is often a sign of an underlying heart disease. Many different heart and vascular conditions can lead to low ejection fraction, such as:
Low ejection fraction diagnosisWith advanced technology in labs that are among the best-equipped in the country, we’ll use one or more imaging tests to precisely measure your ejection fraction. These tests may include:
Find out more about our heart and vascular testing and diagnosis. Low ejection fraction treatmentNot only are we specialized in treating all kinds of heart conditions, but we also specialize in tailoring a treatment plan just for you. We take the time to get to know you, pinpoint any underlying causes and provide exactly the care you need. Your care plan will depend on if your low ejection fraction is linked to another heart condition. We may recommend:
 By Steven Schiff, MD, as told
to Stephanie Booth My patients’ concerns about heart failure are usually, “What is my prognosis?” “What are the treatments, like medication and surgery, that are available to me?” But some people will ask me for their ejection fraction (EF) number if they’ve read about it, or had it discussed with them. This is especially true if they want to know if it’s changing over time. What is EF? EF is one of many measurements of how well your heart
works. It measures the active pump function of your heart when it contracts and pumps blood out of your heart and into your arteries. Technically, EF is the percentage (fraction) of blood that is ejected from your heart as it contracts. (This is also known as the stroke volume). Mathematically, EF is the amount of blood pumped with each beat, divided by the amount of blood in the chamber when it’s filled. Your heart has two phases for each heartbeat:
Therefore, EF is the stroke [contracted] volume/diastolic volume. What does EF have to do with heart failure? A low ejection fraction lets a doctor know that the active pumping phase of the heart isn't working. It's usually tied to some, but not all, types of heart failure. Heart failure with a low EF is called "systolic" heart failure. How is EF measured? EF is usually measured, with an echocardiogram or cardiac ultrasound. It can also be measured during a heart angiogram and catheterization. That’s when catheters (tubes) are put inside of you through an artery, into your heart chambers. Other measurement techniques include:
All of these techniques are estimates, and can show slightly different results in the same person. What do EF numbers mean? Normal EF is in the range of 55% to 70%. As the percentage falls, it tells the doctor that the heart failure is getting worse. In general, if the EF falls below 30%, it's relatively severe. A reading of 20% or below is very severe heart failure. It’s important to know that there’s not always a perfect correlation between symptoms and the EF. In addition, an EF above 75% is considered too high, and can be a problem as well. How can your EF help manage your heart health? Your EF can be a way of assessing the status and progression of heart failure over time, as well as a way to track the benefits of various heart failure treatments. For instance, you may be told your EF, then start on medication or go for surgery, and may want to know: "Did my EF go up or down?" We can track serial measurements of EF (usually by echocardiogram) to see if your treatment is helping. How can you have normal EF and heart failure? Heart failure with a normal EF is happening more and more often. It's generally related to the filling phase of the heart's cycle of filling and emptying. It is called "diastolic heart failure.” Normal hearts are very compliant. This means that they fill easily, at relatively low pressures. Sometimes, even though the heart contracts normally (normal EF), it might need higher pressure to fill for each beat. If so, you can have symptoms of heart failure even though your heart contracts normally, with a normal EF. You could have fluid accumulation and overload. We see this most frequently in people with untreated high blood pressure. Should you find out your EF? Most people without cardiac issues don't need to know their EF. If you’re simply worried about this, ask your doctor if you should be concerned. A simple echocardiogram will provide a good estimate. The most important thing to know, if you have been told of heart failure, is what the underlying cause is. That will affect your prognosis, treatment, testing and follow-up. Among the most common causes [of heart failure] are:
Once you’ve been given a heart failure diagnosis, you should be seen by a cardiologist for a careful review of your underlying causes, the status of your heart failure, your current treatment, follow up, and prognosis. © 2021 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved. Photo Credit: LEONELLO CALVETTI/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Getty Images SOURCE: Steven Schiff, MD, cardiologist, medical director of invasive cardiology, and service chief of cardiology of MemorialCare Heart & Vascular Institute, Orange Coast Medical Center, Fountain Valley, CA. What does 20% heart function mean?An EF of 20% is about one-third of the normal ejection fraction. This means 80% of the blood stays in the ventricle. The heart is not pumping all the oxygen-rich blood the body needs. The blood that is not ejected from the ventricle can back up into the lungs and cause shortness of breath.
What percentage of heart function can you live with?A normal heart pumps blood out of its left ventricle at about 50 to 70 percent — a measurement called an ejection fraction, according to the American Heart Association. “Don was at 10 percent, which is basically a nonfunctional heart,” Dow said. “When a heart is pumping at only 10 percent, a person can die very easily.
What percentage should your heart be functioning?The ejection fraction is usually measured only in the left ventricle. The left ventricle is the heart's main pumping chamber. It pumps oxygen-rich blood up into your body's main artery (aorta) to the rest of the body. A normal ejection fraction is about 50% to 75%, according to the American Heart Association.
Can a heart function at 30 percent?Normal EF is in the range of 55% to 70%. As the percentage falls, it tells the doctor that the heart failure is getting worse. In general, if the EF falls below 30%, it's relatively severe. A reading of 20% or below is very severe heart failure.
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What percentage of heart function is normal
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