ejection fraction

[heenie]

I am presently exercising every moring at the fitness center on the bicylcle and elliptical..,in the hopes of improving my ejecton fraction.   Based on previous Q/A, is this a lost cause???


This discussion is related to chances of improving an ejection fraction of 30-35% by cardiac rehab and meds.

[sciman]

I was on a couple of meds for 1.5 years and my ef stayed the same. My cardiologist said about 1/3 of patients improve. Apparently the ef is just one factor that determines your cardiac health. Fitness as revealed by a stress test is another indicator. The ef tends to command our attention because it's a number and that is rather black and white. You've got to consider the whole picture.

[heenie]

Thank you....I understand that...but since I have been exercising daily for the last 5months on the ellipitical and bicycle, is this particular exercise of any beneifit toward improving  my EF?? Does this help improve my EF?  I am getting the impression that medication  REALLY  is the only  answer towards improving EF.

[kenkeith]

Stronger heart muscles increase contractility.  Aerobic exercise can/will increase heart muscle strength.  Stronger contractions can/will increase the amount of blood pumped into circulations with each heartbeat (higher EF) and lower heart rate..

If the heart is dilated (enlarged left ventricle), the heart muscle will lose its ability to to pump adequately due to weak contractions.  The phenomonon is Frank/Starling (google for more info) mechanism in physics.  As an analogy when a handspring is stretched, it will spring back more forcefully, but over stretched it will become flaccid.  The heart can/will compensate to increase cardiac output by dilating (maintain equalibrium of blood flow between the right and left side). But when there is heart problem and untreated, the heart will overcompensate (overworked) and there will be a loss of contractility and the EF will be lower....If a heart is the dilated cardiomyopathy classification, reducing the heart's workload can reverse remodeling and EF can/will return to normal.  Medication (ACE inhibitor and beta blocker) returned my heart size to normal and my EF is currently 59%.