Keep Check on EF Number

Numbers are a big part of your life.  Phone numbers, addresses, birthdays, etc., of important people in your life. You use numbers like these almost every day.

Plus, you probably keep an eye on health-related numbers like your weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol. If you have a heart condition, another very important number to know is your ejection fraction, or EF number. This is a measurement used by your doctor to assess your heart health.

Understanding your EF number

Your EF number is the percentage of blood that’s pumped out of your heart during each beat. In a healthy heart, 50 to 75 per cent of the blood is pumped out with each beat. An EF that falls below 50 per cent could indicate that your heart is no longer pumping well enough to meet your body’s needs.

Your heart acts as a pump to send oxygen-rich blood throughout your body to meet your energy demands. If your EF is low, your heart may not be able to deliver a normal supply of blood to your body and brain. This can happen if your heart muscle has become weak or damaged. Damage may result from an injury to the heart muscle such as a heart attack or from conditions like long-term untreated high blood pressure or heart valve disease.

Over time, a poorly pumping heart may cause symptoms such as fatigue or shortness of breath, as your body tries to make up for the decreased blood flow. This condition is called heart failure. Many people with heart failure have a low EF number.

How to get your EF measured?  Ejection fraction is often measured using an echocardiogram.This simple, painless test uses sound waves (ultrasound) to take a moving picture of your heart. You can usually have an echocardiogram at your doctor’s office.

Several other tests can be done. Your doctor will recommend a test that’s right for you.

Ask your doctor if your EF number has ever been measured. Once you know your EF number, talk to your doctor about what it means and whether you should see a heart-failure or heart-rhythm specialist. Find out when your EF should be measured again.

A low EF number is a serious health risk.  A poorly-pumping heart may bring serious health risks. It can cause electrical problems in the heart, such as dangerously fast or irregular rhythms. These heart rhythm problems may lead to Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA).  With SCA the heart starts to quiver rather than beat and pump blood. If not treated immediately, SCA is fatal. Medical research shows that people with an EF number below 35 per cent face an significant risk of developing dangerously fast heart rhythms and SCA. The problem is, SCA often strikes without warning or symptoms.

One of the best ways to identify your risk of SCA is to have your ejection fraction measured by a doctor. Your EF number can change, so it’s important that you talk to your doctor about tracking it over time, just as you would your blood pressure and cholesterol.

What does your EF number mean?

NORMAL

A healthy ejection fraction is between 50-75%

The heart is pumping  normally and can deliver an adequate supply of blood to the body and brain.

BELOW NORMAL

An ejection fraction that falls between 36 - 49 %

Could indicate that the heart is not pumping well enough to meet the body’s needs.

LOW

An An ejection factor below 35%

Indicates a weakened heart muscle and poorly pumping heart. A low EF number increases the risk of SCA.

A M Karthigesan is a consultant cardiologist and electrophysiologist at Apollo Hospital, Chennai. http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/Keep-Check-on-EF-Number/2015/04/07/article2750774.ece