Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) measures the heart’s ability to pump blood and is used to diagnose and monitor heart failure. It is determined by echocardiography and reflects the strength of the heart. Low LVEF values suggest heart failure, while high values can indicate heart disease.
Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) is a measure of the heart’s ability to pump blood. It is measured by echocardiography (ECHO) and is used to diagnose and monitor heart failure. High or low LVEF values suggest that the heart is not working properly.
The heart is a four-chambered organ with two atria and two ventricles. The right side of the heart pumps blood to the lungs, where the blood can pick up oxygen and release carbon dioxide. After circulating through the lungs, blood returns to the left side of the heart. The blood is then distributed throughout the rest of the body by pumping from the left ventricle.
Left ventricular ejection fraction is a measure used to evaluate the function of the heart. By definition, left ventricular ejection fraction is the amount of blood pumped out of the heart divided by the volume of the left ventricle before the heart contracted. It represents how much of the blood collected in the left ventricle can be sent from the heart to the body. It reflects the contractility, or strength, of the heart. Normal values for LVEF range from 55 percent to 80 percent for patients at rest, with the mean value being 67 percent.
LVEF is usually determined by echocardiography. This imaging technology uses sound waves to provide a real-time picture of the heart as it progresses through its pumping and resting cycles. Echocardiographers can determine left ventricular ejection fraction by visually evaluating two-dimensional images showing blood flow out of the left ventricle.
Having a low left ventricular ejection fraction usually means that the heart cannot pump blood as effectively as a healthy heart. It is often a finding associated with left ventricular failure. Indeed, patients with low LVEF are considered to have heart failure even if they have no clinical symptoms indicative of the condition. Once heart failure is diagnosed, patients typically receive regular echocardiograms to monitor for decreases in LVEF. Declining LVEF levels could suggest the need for more aggressive therapies.
Elevated left ventricular ejection fractions can also suggest the presence of heart disease. Values above 80% often indicate resting heart dysfunction. In this pathological state, the heart muscle stiffens and filling of the left ventricle from the left atrium is impaired. The left ventricle is unable to pump the blood it receives, as evidenced by the high left ventricular ejection fraction. This amount of blood, however, is insufficient and the body suffers from a lack of oxygenated blood from the heart.
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