Explaining Ejection Fraction (EF) of 60% to a Patient
An ejection fraction (EF) of 60% means your heart is pumping normally and efficiently, with 60% of the blood in your heart being pushed out with each heartbeat. 1
What Ejection Fraction Measures
Ejection fraction is a measurement that tells us how well your heart is pumping blood. Specifically:
- It represents the percentage of blood that leaves your heart's main pumping chamber (left ventricle) each time it contracts
- It is calculated by dividing the amount of blood pumped out (stroke volume) by the total amount of blood in the chamber before contraction (end-diastolic volume) 2
- A normal EF typically ranges from 50% to 70%, with 60% being right in the middle of the normal range 1
What Your 60% EF Means for Your Health
Your 60% ejection fraction indicates:
- Normal heart function - Your heart is contracting with normal strength
- Good pumping efficiency - Your heart is effectively circulating blood to your body
- No evidence of heart failure - Heart failure is typically associated with an EF below 50% 3
- No need for concern - This is considered an optimal value within the normal range
Understanding the Numbers
To help you visualize what this means:
- If your heart chamber holds 100 ml of blood before contracting
- With each heartbeat, about 60 ml is pumped out
- About 40 ml remains in the heart chamber after contraction
- This 60:40 ratio is exactly what we want to see in a healthy heart
EF Categories According to Guidelines
According to cardiology guidelines, EF values are categorized as: 1, 3
- Normal: 50-70% (your 60% falls here)
- Hyperdynamic: >70% (sometimes seen in athletes or certain conditions)
- Mildly reduced: 40-49%
- Moderately reduced: 30-39%
- Severely reduced: <30%
What This Means for Your Future Health
With a normal EF of 60%:
- Your risk of developing heart failure is low 4
- Your heart has good reserve capacity to handle physical activity
- You don't need specific heart failure medications that would be prescribed for reduced EF
- Regular heart-healthy habits are still important to maintain this good function
Important Points to Remember
- EF is just one measure of heart health and should be considered alongside other factors
- A normal EF doesn't rule out all heart problems (some types of heart failure can occur with normal EF)
- EF can change over time, so periodic monitoring may be recommended
- Maintaining heart health through diet, exercise, and managing risk factors remains important
If you have any specific concerns about your heart function or symptoms, please let me know, as we can discuss those in more detail.