Borderline Depressed Left Ventricular Function

I had a 38% EF (ejection fraction) on my most recent echo cardiography test. Normal is between greater that 40. The one before this one was 32 so my cardiologist recommended that I have an angioplasty to check the arteries in the heart. That has led to my finding five blockages in the heart arteries. I am now scheduled for surgical consult with a cardio surgeon to discuss our next steps. I am not sure which test (MRI or echo cardiography) would be better for determining the EF but I have a pacemaker so I cannot get near an MRI machine! Also, this March will mark my 25th anniversary from my having my esophagus removed due to cancer. My stomach was pulled up into my chest, so the modified anatomy may present an issue to the surgery. Will know more after appointment with my cardiologist next week. Good luck with your "heart failure" but I don't think you need worry about the 55% EF quite yet.

I just had a reassessment at the hospital which confirmed my EF to be between 25-30%. Just imagine my concern, although I l knew about this about 10 years ago. On top of that, I ended up in the ER because of heart related systems, and was medication non-compliant which is my fault mostly. 55% isn't too bad-although could be higher.

Hi , Thanks for your question. I see others have already responded, so I will try not to repeat any information they have already shared.

If you are concerned about your MRI results, we definitely encourage you to speak with a doctor or specialist, if you haven’t already. Your doctor will be able to let you know if there is a cause for concern and if so, what course of treatment to take.

I wanted to share an article with you explaining a bit more about ejection fraction. The good news is that your EF is within the normal range of 55-70%. We hope you get the information you're looking for! https://heart-failure.net/ejection-fraction -Jessica, Team Member