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What Is Ejection Fraction?
Question: Hi, Question is for my 10 yrs old nephew. he is right admitted in a Hospital (RML) in XXXXXXX and undergoing treatment with little improvement from past few days. Doctors have diagnosed swelling in heart due to some infection and this is causing very low blood pressure. I am attaching some of the latest reports along with medical histroy. Please can you advice on following:-
1. What's EF, 2 Echo shows this is down to 20% on 04/07 and 28% on 04/07. How serious is it, Doctors repeated saying that kid is improving but this parameter is going down.
2. What are the long and short term impact of this decease on a 10 yrs old kid.
3. What's the permanent solution for this situation.
Thank you
XXXX
1. What's EF, 2 Echo shows this is down to 20% on 04/07 and 28% on 04/07. How serious is it, Doctors repeated saying that kid is improving but this parameter is going down.
2. What are the long and short term impact of this decease on a 10 yrs old kid.
3. What's the permanent solution for this situation.
Thank you
XXXX
Brief Answer:
Acute myocarditis
Detailed Answer:
Hi
Thanks for writing to health care magic.
1. Looks like your child has acute myocarditis. Heart gets predominantly involved, it gets weak and is usually due to a viral infection. Ejection fraction is the percentage of blood which gets ejected in one heart beat , normally 60 to 80 percent in a healthy individual. In your child, it is definitely low . Hope your child is in ICU being taken card by an expert team , as this can be life threatening.
2. Short term can be very risky to life, needs continuous icu care.IvIg and inotropic support is the key. Long term outlook is very good provided the child tackles the current episode. Frequently followup with echo to ensure good recovery post this.
3. There is no single permanent solution. The heart muscles have to improve, which will happen as the virus goes out and with ivig. In very sick patients , if medical treatment fails, heart transplant may be needed.
Wishing your child good recovery.
Regards
Dr Arun
Acute myocarditis
Detailed Answer:
Hi
Thanks for writing to health care magic.
1. Looks like your child has acute myocarditis. Heart gets predominantly involved, it gets weak and is usually due to a viral infection. Ejection fraction is the percentage of blood which gets ejected in one heart beat , normally 60 to 80 percent in a healthy individual. In your child, it is definitely low . Hope your child is in ICU being taken card by an expert team , as this can be life threatening.
2. Short term can be very risky to life, needs continuous icu care.IvIg and inotropic support is the key. Long term outlook is very good provided the child tackles the current episode. Frequently followup with echo to ensure good recovery post this.
3. There is no single permanent solution. The heart muscles have to improve, which will happen as the virus goes out and with ivig. In very sick patients , if medical treatment fails, heart transplant may be needed.
Wishing your child good recovery.
Regards
Dr Arun
Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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