high ejection fraction of 84 percent, thallium

[ginny57]

I am a 57 year old diabetic woman  with a family history of early heart disease.  I had a thallium stress test  that showed normal perfusion, without ischemia. Also normal left ventricular wall motion with a calculated ejection fraction of 84%.  Although I am asymptomatic, my internist now wants me to have a stress echo, as he says a high ejection fraction is not a good thing, my ventricular wall could be enlarged with this high of a reading.  He stated that this can be a sign of cardiomyopathy.  He says the echo will show this, why is he concerned?


This discussion is related to EJECTION FRACTION %.

[ed34]

the wall seperating the two halves of the heart, the septum will likely be enlarged but they need to establish how thickened it has become due to the high pressure in your left ventricle. If there is severe thickening it can restrict the functioning of valves because it prevents them fully opening. An echocardiogram will give all the information required for your cardiologist to make a plan of action. If the thickening isn't too bad, medication will be used to help with any symptoms. However if severe then surgery may be offered to remove some of the wall, thinning it down, and the valves if too damaged may require replacing. But this is a worse case scenario. Most people with this problem, on medication, live normal long lives. It is only rare occassions where more drastic measures are required.