I am worried about my ejection fraction

[skipolot]

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

[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.

[monic87]

A related discussion, to increase EF was started.