decreased function in the left heart

Quick history, I recently had a cardiac cath (no blockages), on follow up I  was told I had a weak left heart after additonal ekg operating at 25%,  3  part question, (a) if i lose weight naturally will this make my left heart stronger ? (b)
will the heart repair itself naturally as a result of less stress and weight loss ?
(c)  are there alternatives to beta blockers for this condition, I was told they cause weight gain and that seems to me to defeat the purpose.

[kenkeith]

The cath indicates you have an ejection fraction of 25%, and that means your heart is pumping less than normal as only 25% of the blood received from the lungs is pumped into circulation.  Normal is 50 to 70%.

The best method to increase your EF is aerobic exercise to strengthen heart muscles.  Losing weight will reduce the heart's workload and help recover to a nomal EF.  I had a low EF below 29% several years ago due to the heart pumping against the high resistance of constricted blood vessels (ACE inhibitor and beta blocker medication) to dilate vessels...better blood flow and less work for the heart.  Curently my heart returned to normal size and EF is normal at 59%.  

It is true some individuals gain weight with a beta blocker, and whether to treat with a beta blocker is a treating doctor's decision.  You don't say what the beta blocker is expected to treat.  Coreg is a beta blocker and an ACE inhibitor and it helps treat hypertension and maintain a stable heart rate.

Thanks for sharing and if you have any further questions you are welcome to respond.  Take care.

[heartfluttersflyawayplz]

ive been on a beta blocker for 30 years never had a problem with gaining weight from it.

[mac95gg]

thanks for your answer, it really helps the name of the beta blocker is carvedilol and it is supposed to decrease the heart rate so the heart does not work so hard. I've lost weight before but now I am committed to lose and maintain a healthy weight, my goal is to lose 130lbs. I've also heard the beta blockers decrease the desire to exercise and do and kind of physical activty which seems like a contradiction to weight loss, I've decided not to take the meds, excerise, lose weoght and diet, and get checked again in a month.  

[ChatterAlly]

I also, am on a beta blocker.  I recently gained some weight, but through diet and exercise was able to take that off.  You can improve heart function with diet and exercise, so in my case deciding to do this was a better plan all the way around.  I am keeping my heart healthy and my weight down.  I feel so much more energetic now.  The hard part was getting started.  I will tell you now, it was an effort to get motivated.  Once I did get into the routine though I couldn't seem to get enough exercise. I seem to want more and more.  But I had to convince myself there is a limit in everything. I will also tell you this.  Do not expect to see any visible changes in the first few weeks.  It was 8 weeks before the weight started to fall off.  I think that is why so many give up.  They expected to see immediate changes.  Remember, I didn't gain the weight in a few weeks and it isn't going anywhere for awhile.  The first time I went for a huge weight loss, my shape was changing, but my weight remained the same.  That time I was losing fat and gaining muscle.  Muscle weighs more. After about 8 weeks though the weight began to fall off and continued to for the next couple of months.  It took 7 months to lose 40 pounds.  The recent weight gain for me was only 10 or 15 pounds, but still I wanted it gone.  Sorry to ramble here, but I want you to know these facts before making that decision to lose the weight.  Don't look for any big changes the first 2 months unless you are running a marathon.  Maybe I should become a personal trainer?! LOL  
As far as taking my beta blocker though, I tried to go without and did miserably.  In my case, the benefits in taking the Lopressor are far more greater than not.
Take care and keep me posted, Ally