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Hello, What Does A Low Ejection Fraction On Your Left
Question: Hello, what does a low ejection fraction on your left ventricle mean? Can it be improved through exercise or supplements?
Brief Answer:
I would explain as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello!
Welcome back on - Ask a Doctor - service!
Regarding your concern, let me explain that ejection fraction is a traditional index showing the efficiency how the heart pumps the blood throughout the body circulation. In other words, it tells us what is the proportion of blood accommodated within the left ventricle, that is pumped out through the aorta to the entire body tissues.
There are several reasons why this index (LVEF) is abnormally decreased:
- causes related to a cardiac muscle disorder (cardiac ischemia, muscle fibers disorder due to a genetic defect, abnormal deposits within the cells, certain infections, etc.)
- causes related to chronic valvular dysfunction, such as mitral or aortic valve insufficiency, etc.
- causes related to persistent tachyarrhythmias that may lead to impaired muscle function and cardiac dilatation, etc.
- also, certain deficiencies may lead to decreased cardiac functions, such as vitamin deficiency (vitamin D, B1, B12, etc.), thyroid hormone deficiency, etc. And in this case the answer is YES! If the cause of cardiac dysfunction rely on any specific deficiency, it is expected that once the deficiencies are replenished, the function may recover partially or even completely.
You need to discuss with your doctor on the above mentioned issues.
Hope to have been helpful to you!
In case of any further questions, feel free to ask me again.
Kind regards,
Dr. Iliri
I would explain as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello!
Welcome back on - Ask a Doctor - service!
Regarding your concern, let me explain that ejection fraction is a traditional index showing the efficiency how the heart pumps the blood throughout the body circulation. In other words, it tells us what is the proportion of blood accommodated within the left ventricle, that is pumped out through the aorta to the entire body tissues.
There are several reasons why this index (LVEF) is abnormally decreased:
- causes related to a cardiac muscle disorder (cardiac ischemia, muscle fibers disorder due to a genetic defect, abnormal deposits within the cells, certain infections, etc.)
- causes related to chronic valvular dysfunction, such as mitral or aortic valve insufficiency, etc.
- causes related to persistent tachyarrhythmias that may lead to impaired muscle function and cardiac dilatation, etc.
- also, certain deficiencies may lead to decreased cardiac functions, such as vitamin deficiency (vitamin D, B1, B12, etc.), thyroid hormone deficiency, etc. And in this case the answer is YES! If the cause of cardiac dysfunction rely on any specific deficiency, it is expected that once the deficiencies are replenished, the function may recover partially or even completely.
You need to discuss with your doctor on the above mentioned issues.
Hope to have been helpful to you!
In case of any further questions, feel free to ask me again.
Kind regards,
Dr. Iliri
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thank you for your previous answer...here are some follow ups:
1) does ejection fraction apply to both ventricles, mine was 25 to 30% for the left
2) I run, go to the gym, lift weights, run about 20 miles per week...since running and cardio exercises help circulation...why am I having this problem? What are the possibilities?
3) Do athletes...esp. long distance runners...have this? I jogged 4 miles on the beach a few days ago...am 67; when I was 39 to 43, I ran 5 NYC marathons and NOW, have been focusing on 5 K races...I do at least 20
miles per week...am puzzled why I have this, especially in view of my regimen...I also do push ups, weights, and planks.....thank you
1) does ejection fraction apply to both ventricles, mine was 25 to 30% for the left
2) I run, go to the gym, lift weights, run about 20 miles per week...since running and cardio exercises help circulation...why am I having this problem? What are the possibilities?
3) Do athletes...esp. long distance runners...have this? I jogged 4 miles on the beach a few days ago...am 67; when I was 39 to 43, I ran 5 NYC marathons and NOW, have been focusing on 5 K races...I do at least 20
miles per week...am puzzled why I have this, especially in view of my regimen...I also do push ups, weights, and planks.....thank you
Brief Answer:
Opinion as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello again!
Regarding your questions, let me explain as follows:
1) Ejection fraction is an index of systolic function for both ventricles, though most often applied to the left ventricle. In practice it is more difficult to measure precisely the right ventricular ejection fraction by means of echo.
2) You are right about the beneficial effects of a physically active life-style, it helps by improving several indicators of our metabolism, including glucose and lipid profile, provides a better control of body weight, a better myocardial and cardiac muscle conditioning to relative oxygen deprivation during strenuous physical activity.
But physical activity is not sufficient to control several cardiovascular risk factors such as uncontrolled hypertension, or any other potential coronary risk conditions like diabetes, familial hypercholesterolemia, etc.
3) From the other side we have what is called athlete' s heart, which is some times difficult to distinguish from any certain cardiomyopathy like hypertrophic or even dilated cardiomyopathy. In athletes, especially those of strenuous competitive sports many adaptive cardiac changes lead to left ventricular hypertrophy and not rarely cardiac chamber dilatation.
Now in your case such a decreased LV ejection fraction seems a bit surprising considering the fact you are coping well with your very active daily life.
I think that your echo findings should be replicated by a complementary cardiac test like cardiac MRI before considering them definitive.
This is especially true if you have not experienced recently any physical limitation in your daily activity.
You should discuss with you doctor on the above mentioned issues.
Kind regards,
Dr. Iliri
Opinion as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello again!
Regarding your questions, let me explain as follows:
1) Ejection fraction is an index of systolic function for both ventricles, though most often applied to the left ventricle. In practice it is more difficult to measure precisely the right ventricular ejection fraction by means of echo.
2) You are right about the beneficial effects of a physically active life-style, it helps by improving several indicators of our metabolism, including glucose and lipid profile, provides a better control of body weight, a better myocardial and cardiac muscle conditioning to relative oxygen deprivation during strenuous physical activity.
But physical activity is not sufficient to control several cardiovascular risk factors such as uncontrolled hypertension, or any other potential coronary risk conditions like diabetes, familial hypercholesterolemia, etc.
3) From the other side we have what is called athlete' s heart, which is some times difficult to distinguish from any certain cardiomyopathy like hypertrophic or even dilated cardiomyopathy. In athletes, especially those of strenuous competitive sports many adaptive cardiac changes lead to left ventricular hypertrophy and not rarely cardiac chamber dilatation.
Now in your case such a decreased LV ejection fraction seems a bit surprising considering the fact you are coping well with your very active daily life.
I think that your echo findings should be replicated by a complementary cardiac test like cardiac MRI before considering them definitive.
This is especially true if you have not experienced recently any physical limitation in your daily activity.
You should discuss with you doctor on the above mentioned issues.
Kind regards,
Dr. Iliri
Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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