Ejection fraction, or EF, is the percentage of blood your heart’s main pumping chamber pushes out with each beat. A normal EF is commonly around 50 to 70 percent.
A lower EF can mean the heart muscle is weaker than it should be, which is one form of heart failure. Some people have heart failure symptoms with a normal EF, so the number is never the whole story.
Your echo report includes EF along with many other measurements. Your doctor uses all of them together, with your symptoms and history, to decide what comes next. If you have questions about your number, your provider is the best person to explain it.
For general information only. Not a substitute for medical advice.
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