Questions posted in the Heart Forum have been answered by doctors from The Cleveland Clinic Foundation.

Subject: Re: echocardiogram
Forum: The Heart Forum
Topic Area: Arrhythmia
Posted by CCF CARDIO MD-APS on March 10, 1999 at 17:52:33:
In Reply to: echocardiogram posted by Elaine on March 08, 1999 at 12:50:45:


What does 17 percent ejection fraction on a echocardiogram mean?


Dear Elaine,
The ejection fraction(EF) is the fraction of blood that is ejected out of the
left ventricle (main pumping chamber of the heart, responsible for getting
oxygenated blood out to all the organs of the body, most espcially the brain
and kidneys) with each heart beat. A normal EF is 55%, anything less is abnormal.
An EF of 17% is representative of a very poorly functioning left ventricle and warrants
the patient being on certain medications (even if s/he is asymptomatic.)

I hope this information is useful. Information provided in the heart forum is for
general purposes only. Only your physician can provided specific diagnoses and therapies.
Feel free to write back with further questions. Good luck!

If you would like to make an appointment at the Cleveland Clinic Heart Center, please
call 1-800-CCF-CARE or inquire online by using the Heart Center website at
www.ccf.org/heartcenter. The Heart Center website contains a directory of the
cardiology staff that can be used to select the physician best suited to address your
cardiac problem.

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