Ejection Fraction Heart Failure Measurement

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What is “ejection fraction”?

Ejection fraction (EF) shows how much blood the left ventricle pumps out with each contraction. 

EF is measured as a percentage. An ejection fraction of 60% means that 60% of the blood in the left ventricle is pushed out with each heartbeat. A normal heart’s ejection fraction is between 55% and 70%.

Your EF can help to detect and track heart failure.

You can have a normal ejection fraction and still have heart failure. This is called HFpEF or heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. It happens when your heart’s muscle has become so thick and stiff that the ventricle holds less blood than usual. Your heart might still have an EF that falls in the normal range because your heart is pumping out a normal percentage of the blood that enters it. However, with HFpEF, the amount of blood pumped isn’t enough to meet your body’s needs. 

What’s an unhealthy EF?   

An EF from 41% to 49% is considered mildly reduced. It may or may not mean that a person is developing heart failure. But it could show damage, early cardiomyopathy or risk for heart failure. An EF measurement under 40% usually shows heart failure or cardiomyopathy.

Learn ways to improve your low ejection fraction.

An EF higher than 75% could mean a heart condition such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. 

View HF and Your Ejection Fraction Explained English (PDF) | Spanish (PDF)

Ejection fraction as part of diagnosis 

Your health care professional might mention one of these two EF-related scenarios with heart failure:

• Preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is also called diastolic heart failure. The heart muscle contracts normally, but the ventricles do not relax as they should during ventricular filling (or when the ventricles relax).
  
  
• Reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) is also called systolic heart failure. The heart muscle does not contract effectively. Less oxygen-rich blood is pumped out to the body.

Tests for measuring EF 

Your health care professional might suggest tests to measure your ejection fraction, including: 

• Echocardiogram (Most widely used test)
• MUGA scan
• CT scan
• Cardiac catheterization
• Nuclear stress test

Learn more about common tests for diagnosing heart failure.