I am worried about my ejection fraction

[smo2928]

I am worried about my echo I had in Feb. 2007.  I just got the report everything about it said it was normal..I do have mitral valve prolapse...regurgitation is mild and tricuspid regurgitation is mild but my ejection fraction was 79% and eveything on the internet says that could be a sign of cardiomyopathy...all my measurements were within normal range. The reason I got the report was because I had been having some dizziness and when I get up in the morning after laying down all night my heart rate jumps and I have to take my atenolol right away.  Should I be worried about this ejection fraction they seemed to think it was normal....I am just afraid I am going to drop dead in front of my 3 year old...my heart rate during the echo was 96 beats per minute.....could this make the EF rise?  Also what could be causing my heart rate to go up upon standing? is it cause I have been laying down all night?  Any info about all this would help.  

[Forum-M.D.-MJM]

Hello,
Thanks for the post.  

The doctor that read the echocardiogram called the ejection fraction normal.  It is true the number is a bit high 79% and that has caught your attention.  There are only a few things that causes a increased ejectin fraction and not all of them are problems with your heart.  The diagnosis typical of high ejection fractions are not difficult to miss on echo -- hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, non compaction cardiomyopathy, generalized hypertrophy.  It is very unlikely that they apply to you and please don't go searching for them on the internet -- it is not worth worring about something you do not have.  The more likely and most common cause is fear/anxiety that something is wrong, you get your adrenaline and your heart beats like you are running a race.  This is nothing to worry about from a cardiac stand point, but may suggest that anxiety is an issue.  Whether this is an isolated event or whether anxiety takes control of your life and affects your decisions is something only you can answer -- the later would point a problem that is worth talking to your doctor about.  There are good treatments for anxeity out there.

Standing causes the average heart rate to increase by 10-15 beats per minute, but this number can be higher or lower depending on the person and many other factors.  This increased heart with standing can be exagerated in the morning in some individuals.

I hope this helps.  Thanks for posting.

[Bodoni]

Hey. How about lending me some of your extra ejection fraction numbers? Mine are a bit on the low side.

[Fionajnz]

Sounds like you are doing great, esp if your echo has read normally from a strutural perspective.  

I would agree with the MD, it sounds like you may benefit from doing a trial on antianxiety meds or low dose antidepressants.  You would need to give the meds about 4 -6wks to see if you have any benefit.  

I had a post partum cardiomyopathy and a slew of other serious health probs following the birth of our third child 18 mths ago, I elected to do lexapro at 10mg about 6 mths into the whole experience and it really helps keep me a bit more "even" dealing with all the physical stuff I have going on as well as the demands of parenting 3 young children.

In your shoes, I would locate your atenolol near your bedside and take it about 10mins before you get up, that may help your HR issue in the mornings, I know this is probably a redundant comment reminding you to be using a childproof cap on the med bottle though (forgive me its the Mom in me).  

I just went off the atenolol the cardio had me on (with his approval), I have noticed that my HR has increased again markedly but its not as tachy as it was when I was in heart failure, my PCP says I am having regular arrythmias but I am one of the fortunate, in that I do not feel most of them and those I do notice do not concern me.

Hope you are feeling better soon and able to worry less about this issue.  Have a great summer.

Fiona

[Vital Life Force Energy]

WOULD LIKE TO TELL YOU THAT THERE IS A VERY HIGHLY TREATMENT SYSTEM HAS ARRIVED FOR HEALTH CARE FOR 21ST CENTURY

ITS CALLED (QIGONG) ALSO SPELLED (CHI KUNG)

THIS IS THE VITAL LIFE FORCE ENERGY OF A PERSON. ONCE YOU FREELY DIRECT THIS ENERGY TO PARTICULAR OF THE BODY YOU CAN PRODUCE ALOT OF POWER.


The nearest interpretation of the word Qigong in broad terms is:

QI = energy or air.
(air is the most common description because of it's Oxygen content)

GONG = exercise

So the word QIGONG, simplified, means 'breathing exercise' or loosely 'energy exercises'



I WILL TELL HOW TO PRACTICE (QIGONG)

ALL THESE LITED CAN BE TREATED BY (QIGONG)

1. Prevention of Asthma, can be treated by QIGONG
2. Lower's blood presure
3. Treatment of Cancer
4. Relief of any Pain
5. Relief of Stress
6. Build's the immune system
7. Makes the bones stronger

and etc.. IN OTHER WORDS QIGONG IS THE VITAL LIFE FORCE ENEGY THAT BALANCES ALL ORGANS IN THE BODY,

QIGONG IS THE ART OF YOGA BREATHING WHICH IS CALLED QIGONG IN CHINESE IN THE ASIAN LANGUAGE ITS CALLED (PRANAYAMA)

WHEN YOU MASTERED THE ABILITY OF PUTTING QI OR CHI IN YOUR BODY YOU TO ALL KINDS OF STUFF SUCH AS STUNTS BUT LET ME TELL YOU (DO NOT TRY ANY STUPIDNESS ANY WHERE WITH ANY STUNTS AT ALL THESE STUNTS CAN ALSO LEAD TO DEATH.

NOW IM GOING TO TELL YOU SOME QIGONG EXERCISES WHICH CAN BE PRACTICE INDOOR OR OUTDOOR AS LONG AS YOU HAVE GOT LOTS OF AIR INDOOR BUT I RECOMMEND YOU TO PRACTICE THIS EXERCISE OUTDOOR.

STEPS OF ONE EXERCISE FIRST:

1. SIT ON THE FLOOR, LEGS CROSSED
2. STRAIGHTEN YOUR BACK
3. CURL YOUR TOGUE TO THE ROOF OF YOUR MOUTH AND RELAX IT THERE, BY DOING THIS WILL CONTROL THE AMOUNT OF QI IN YOUR BODY, SO IN OTHER WORDS YOU HAVE GOT A COMPLETE AND BALANCED ENERGY SYSTEM JUST BY DOING THIS METHOD
4. PUT YOUR HANDS TWO HANDS OUT IN WHERE YOUR LEGS ARE CROSSED AS IF YOUR PRACTICING YOGA
5. INHALE GENTLY AND EXHALE GENTLY
WHEN YOU BREATH IN FEEL, THE VITAL ENERGY FILLING UP IN YOUR BODY AND WHEN YOUR BREATH OUT FEEL THAT ALL NEGATIVE ENERGY IS GOING OUT OF THE BODY FEEL THAT ALL STRESS AND PAIN GOING OUT. THEN YOU FEEL THAT YOUR MIND IS GETTING CARMER IF YOU NOT FEELING CARMER WHEN YOU PRACTICE FURTHER YOU WILL THE YOUR MIND IS GETTING CARMER AND RELAX AND YOU WILL FEEL THAT YOU HAVE GONE LIGHTER QROUND ALL OF YOUR BODY



Drawing a bow to shoot an arrow a (QIGONG EXERCISE)

1. Assume a Horse Riding Stance.
2. Raise your hands to chest height - palms facing inward toward the body and fingers pointing to each other (imagine holding a large ball on your chest).
3. Cross both arms in front of the chest with the right arm on the outside of the left arm.
4. Curl the middle, ring and little finger of the left hand, but keep the forefinger extended forward and the thumb pointed upward.
5. Inhale as you open your left arm horizontally at shoulder height to the left. Push and stretch away your hand palm and index finger (at right-angles to your arm). Keep the vision of the eyes on the left hand throughout the movement. Image that your left palm is pressing flat against the wood of an archer's bow.
6. Simultaneously, and corresponding to the movement of the left hand, clench the right hand into a loose fist and pull it horizontally at shoulder height to the right. Imagine you are drawing back a taut bowstring by leading with the right elbow and keeping the back of the fist facing outward. Hold the position for one second.
7. Exhale as you release botb fists and return the arms to a crossed position in front of the chest (left arm on the outside of the right arm).
8. Repeat the exercise to the right side of the body.

Please watch this documentary


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTL_rV2_MSw

please also watch the full video it will show you that what qigong can do


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAAB0dbc3Es

[moriarty]

i'm a 20-year-old male. yesterday i was diagnosed with 'aortic insufficiency'. my cardiologist wants me to monitor my blood pressure and all sorts of good stuff. for the past six months, even since i started to quit smoking, i've experienced a shortness of breath. like, i inhale all the way but it feels like i should be able to inhale more but something is stopping me. is this cause for concern? i keep neglecting to mention it to my cardiologist.

i used to have asthma so it could just be that, i guess. is there any way to tell if my heart is causing it?

i'm in otherwise good health and have been getting kind of freaked out about this. is this a treatable condition or am i gonna be seeing an early grave?

thanks,
ryan

[EchoTech]

It is also possible that the echo tech ( not me) measured incorrectly and put it on the report anyways.  Wrong information is sometimes worse than no information at all.