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Echo Results/Fatigue After Exercise
Hi,
I had an aortic valve replacement/aneurysm repair in 1999. I've recently been having a problem with fatigue - especially when I exercise. I walk every day for an hour or so and feel fine while walking. However, soon after I finish I "crash" and need a nap!
I went for my annual echo last week. Everything is fine and the report says normal RV,RA,LA and LV chamber dimensions and contractility. Normal LV systolic function. However, RVID and IVS wall thickening are getting toward the high end of normal. (RVID= 2.9 and IVS wall thickening =1.0)
What concerns me is an EF% reading of 37. I did a little research and read that below 40 is not good. However, the doctor who read my echo did not mention it at all in his comments. Isn't this something he would have noted? Could this be a mistake? Seems odd that everything else is normal and the EF is so low.
Could this low EF% explain the fatigue? I've been walking the same amount of time at the same pace for years. This "crash" doesn't happen every time, but frequently enough to know that it's not a fluke. I had a lipid panel done last month and blood glucose, thyroid, etc. are all fine. BP is good as well.
Thanks in advance for any comments.
I had an aortic valve replacement/aneurysm repair in 1999. I've recently been having a problem with fatigue - especially when I exercise. I walk every day for an hour or so and feel fine while walking. However, soon after I finish I "crash" and need a nap!
I went for my annual echo last week. Everything is fine and the report says normal RV,RA,LA and LV chamber dimensions and contractility. Normal LV systolic function. However, RVID and IVS wall thickening are getting toward the high end of normal. (RVID= 2.9 and IVS wall thickening =1.0)
What concerns me is an EF% reading of 37. I did a little research and read that below 40 is not good. However, the doctor who read my echo did not mention it at all in his comments. Isn't this something he would have noted? Could this be a mistake? Seems odd that everything else is normal and the EF is so low.
Could this low EF% explain the fatigue? I've been walking the same amount of time at the same pace for years. This "crash" doesn't happen every time, but frequently enough to know that it's not a fluke. I had a lipid panel done last month and blood glucose, thyroid, etc. are all fine. BP is good as well.
Thanks in advance for any comments.
I have had two heart surgeries for the same valve. I also ended up with heart failure...low EF at 30% An EF of 37% will definitely make you feel tired. Yes, that nurse is very wrong. If the valve is functioning well, then it is a heart muscle problem You definitely need to see a good cardiologist and get on the Heart failure drugs. Believe, it will make a bid difference. My EF has gone up with drugs, exercis and Bi-V pacer but it takes time and a lot of effort.
The nurse's rationalization sounds a bit off to me. A valve is a passive device, therefore it should have no effect on the "forcefulness" of the heartbeat. The AV simply opens during systole as the LV contracts and the blood is pushed out and closes during diastole when the LV finishes contracting and rests to refill.
FS%, I would guess stands for Fractional Shortening. The shortening fraction is another way of measuring LV function. Instead of measuring the blood volume the LV holds during diastole compared to what it then ejects during systole(ejection fraction), the shortening fraction measures the change in diameter of the LV between systole and diastole.
Like the doc said, you should talk to your cardiologist about how you're feeling and what the numbers mean.
FS%, I would guess stands for Fractional Shortening. The shortening fraction is another way of measuring LV function. Instead of measuring the blood volume the LV holds during diastole compared to what it then ejects during systole(ejection fraction), the shortening fraction measures the change in diameter of the LV between systole and diastole.
Like the doc said, you should talk to your cardiologist about how you're feeling and what the numbers mean.
Seconds after I sent my last post I got a call from my doctor's nurse.
She said that it's nothing to worry about. The cardio who read the echo thought that everything else looked great so this EF% isn't a cause for concern. She also said that my mechanical valve wouldn't be as forceful as a regular valve and that may account for the lower reading as well. She assured me that they would've had me in for further testing if anything was really wrong.
For some reason this just doesn't sound right to me. No matter how good everything else looks, doesn't the fact that I'm only pumping 37% of the blood that enters my heart back out again mean that something just isn't right?
Hmmm....am I just being an alarmist? Sorry, but I've been through two heart surgeries and don't want another one. : )
Thanks for any comments.
She said that it's nothing to worry about. The cardio who read the echo thought that everything else looked great so this EF% isn't a cause for concern. She also said that my mechanical valve wouldn't be as forceful as a regular valve and that may account for the lower reading as well. She assured me that they would've had me in for further testing if anything was really wrong.
For some reason this just doesn't sound right to me. No matter how good everything else looks, doesn't the fact that I'm only pumping 37% of the blood that enters my heart back out again mean that something just isn't right?
Hmmm....am I just being an alarmist? Sorry, but I've been through two heart surgeries and don't want another one. : )
Thanks for any comments.
Thanks so much for the reply. I'll ask my primary care doctor about this. Haven't seen my cardio in a few years.
I do have my echo report from 2005 and there is no EF% listed. There is, however, a measurement of something called the FS%, which was 24.7. According to the sheet, the normal measurement is 25-45, so that was just a tiny bit low. There is no FS reading this year. What is an FS% anyway?
Thanks again for your help. Much appreciated.
Cheers!
I do have my echo report from 2005 and there is no EF% listed. There is, however, a measurement of something called the FS%, which was 24.7. According to the sheet, the normal measurement is 25-45, so that was just a tiny bit low. There is no FS reading this year. What is an FS% anyway?
Thanks again for your help. Much appreciated.
Cheers!
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
DM,
A low EF can certainly be associated with fatigue and other heart failure symptoms. I would be interested to know what your EF was over the last few years. If it has fallen, then I would want to look for reasons why (coronary disease, hypertension, etc...).
Given your symptoms and low EF, it would be important that you are on a heart failure medical regimen including medicines such as beta blockers and ACE inhibitors. You should definitely discuss this finding and your symptoms with a cardiologist, especialy if you havent been seeing one regularly. Good luck
A low EF can certainly be associated with fatigue and other heart failure symptoms. I would be interested to know what your EF was over the last few years. If it has fallen, then I would want to look for reasons why (coronary disease, hypertension, etc...).
Given your symptoms and low EF, it would be important that you are on a heart failure medical regimen including medicines such as beta blockers and ACE inhibitors. You should definitely discuss this finding and your symptoms with a cardiologist, especialy if you havent been seeing one regularly. Good luck
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