Widow maker heart attack at 48...not good

[Pat1616]

I am really trying to understand what my ecocardiogram results mean.  It would be a great help if I could get a laymans take on what it means.  Thank you in advance.

M-mode and 2-D examination showed mild left ventricular dilatation.  There was severe hypokinesia involving the distal half of he anterior wall apex and apical inferior segment.  Left ventricular systolic function was moderately depressed, with ejection fraction estimated at about 35%.  The mitral, aortic, and tricuspid valve functions were normal.  There was no pericardial effusion seen.  The left atrial size and aortic root size were within normal limits.

[kenkeith]

LV dilation is an enlarged chamber that pumps blood.  The walls of the LV have an impairment of movement (hypokinesis) at the location described.  Because there is heart wall impairment the heart is only pumping out into circulation 35% of the volume.  Normal is 50 to 70% and heart failure is below 29%.  Heart failure is a diagnosis when the heart doesn't pump enough blood into circulation to meet the system's demand.

Hypokinesis can be the result of ischemia (lack of blood flow) to the heart cells usually caused by coronary vessel blockage.  Akinesis is a loss of wall movement due to a heart attack