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Heart Disease (Expert Forum)
Re: Ejection Fraction
This forum is for questions and support regarding heart issues such as: Angina, Angioplasty, Arrhythmia, Bypass Surgery, Cardiomyopathy, Coronary Artery Disease, Defibrillator, Heart Attack, Heart Disease, High Blood Pressure, Mitral Valve Prolapse, Pacemaker, PAD, Stenosis, Stress Tests.
Re: Ejection Fraction
by CCF CARDIO MD DLB, Jan 01, 1995 12:00AM
Posted By CCF CARDIO MD - DLB on September 10, 1998 at 17:31:20:
In Reply to: Ejection Fraction posted by James on September 10, 1998 at 16:11:47:
After a Myocardial Infraction on Nov. 20, 1997, I had a caherization on 11-27-97 that showed a 40% ejection fraction. On 12-4-97 I had a Stress Cardiolite test that showed
I had a 29% ejection fraction. On 2-6-98 I had Angioplasty . On 8-18-98 I had an echogram that showed I had an ejection fraction of 40%. After the heart attack I
was told 40% of my heart muscle was dead. I had 100% blockage of the LAD and
99% of the D1. The Angioplasty was done because they thought there was some
hibernating tissue and they were succesful in the surgery. Now they want to do a muger scan to check my heart function again. MY QUESTION IS what is my ejection fraction 40% or 29% ,do I need another heart function test, and how do they determine how much heart muscle is dead. Thank You, James
,
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Dear James
It sounds like your doctors are planning to do a MUGA scan, which will provide a number for your ejection fraction (EF). Normal is around 65% (not 100%). Echo, cath and nuclear stress tests (cardiolite, MUGA) all give an estimate of the ejection fraction -all are ballpark figures, not precise measurements. Therefore, I would say your ejection fraction is somewhere between 29 and 40 percent. Whether it is 29 or 35 or 40 would not affect how I would manage you medically. I would treat you the same regardless of your exact EF - same medicines, same tests, etc.
These tests all determine which parts of the heart muscle are dead by seeing which parts do not contract.
I hope this is useful. Feel free to write back. I wish you the best of luck.
If you would like to set up an appointment with one of our cardiologists here at the Cleveland Clinic please feel free to call 1-800-CCF-CARE.
Information provided in the Heart Forum is intended for general medical informational purposes only. Actual diagnosis and treatment of any particular medical condition can only be made by your physician(s).
In Reply to: Ejection Fraction posted by James on September 10, 1998 at 16:11:47:
After a Myocardial Infraction on Nov. 20, 1997, I had a caherization on 11-27-97 that showed a 40% ejection fraction. On 12-4-97 I had a Stress Cardiolite test that showed
I had a 29% ejection fraction. On 2-6-98 I had Angioplasty . On 8-18-98 I had an echogram that showed I had an ejection fraction of 40%. After the heart attack I
was told 40% of my heart muscle was dead. I had 100% blockage of the LAD and
99% of the D1. The Angioplasty was done because they thought there was some
hibernating tissue and they were succesful in the surgery. Now they want to do a muger scan to check my heart function again. MY QUESTION IS what is my ejection fraction 40% or 29% ,do I need another heart function test, and how do they determine how much heart muscle is dead. Thank You, James
,
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear James
It sounds like your doctors are planning to do a MUGA scan, which will provide a number for your ejection fraction (EF). Normal is around 65% (not 100%). Echo, cath and nuclear stress tests (cardiolite, MUGA) all give an estimate of the ejection fraction -all are ballpark figures, not precise measurements. Therefore, I would say your ejection fraction is somewhere between 29 and 40 percent. Whether it is 29 or 35 or 40 would not affect how I would manage you medically. I would treat you the same regardless of your exact EF - same medicines, same tests, etc.
These tests all determine which parts of the heart muscle are dead by seeing which parts do not contract.
I hope this is useful. Feel free to write back. I wish you the best of luck.
If you would like to set up an appointment with one of our cardiologists here at the Cleveland Clinic please feel free to call 1-800-CCF-CARE.
Information provided in the Heart Forum is intended for general medical informational purposes only. Actual diagnosis and treatment of any particular medical condition can only be made by your physician(s).
