Ejection Fraction Changes

[.john57]

Just saw my cardiologist this morning and we had a talk about the inportance of ejection fraction numbers. My number had doubled since last year, went from 14% to 25 to 30% (estimated). He didn't seem very impressed with this and said these are just numbers and they can change by a lot on even a day to day basis. He said for example he had a CHF patient in the hospital right now whose ejection fraction was 8% who had just tested at 45% a month ago. He said that especially with CHF people these numbers are only guidlines like blood pressure as they can change very quickly. He said I was by no means cured and should not attach a lot of importance to these numbers. Any opinions on this?

[.john57]

I think that there is a lot of misunderstanding about ejection fraction numbers. These readings are not static numbers they do change in the same regard that blood pressure readings change. There is also a built in margin of error in reading an Echo. I think the point my Cardiologist was trying to make is that the number was only what it happened to be at that particular time of that day. The long term pattern of the numbers is what is really important but unfortunately we can not get these done on a regular enough basis because of the cost involved. The overall picture of the heart, size of the chambers and functioning of the valves is the real value of the echo, yet everyone seems to focus on the ejection fraction numbers which are only numbers that can vary a lot from day to day. Hope this helps people understand that just because they got a low reading it is by no means a death sentence.

[.john57]

Thats the strange part I don't really feel a lot different but I am on a lot of meds and it's hard to sort out what are side effects of the meds and what are symptoms. It's still the old see saw where one day I feel almost normal then get out of breath walking down to the mail box the next.