Ejection fraction confusion!

  My doctor found my ejection fraction to be greater than 70%.  he said it was one of the highest he has seen. I know that the norm is between 50-60%
  Is 70% OK??I also have some pvc activity, and had an extra heart beat since childhood.  I am a 35 year old male who runs 4 times a week.
  Thanks so much for your help!!  Dave

[CCF Cardio MD - MTR]

Dear Dave, thank you for your question.  I suspect that you indeed have a normal heart, however, I'll elucidate.  Normally, the ejection fraction (EF) of the heart is > 55%.  Since there is a great deal of variation in the different techniques used to measure an EF, the absolute value of the EF is rarely important if it is > 55% (since this is the normal range).  There are rare conditions where the heart muscle is hyper-contractile and an EF > 70% is an indication that a problem exists.  The main disorder I'm referring to is called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HOCM).  In HOCM, the heart muscle fibers are abnormally arrayed so the heart contractions are too vigorous.  This results in an obstruction to blood flow out of the heart.  If you had an echocardiogram to determine your EF, then such a disorder would have been seen.  Also, since you can jog 3-4 times/week without symptoms, I seriously doubt that you have any problems.    
I hope you find this information useful.  Information provided in the heart forum is for general purposes only.  Only your physician can provide specific diagnoses and therapies. Please feel free to write back with additional questions.  Good luck!
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