Lebanon, Missouri
A 33-year-old female asked:
echo in nov 2010 was 65% new one 55%.i have pvcs and sinus tachy. what would cause the drop in ef? should i be worried?
4 doctor answers • 10 doctors weighed in
Dr. William Lizarraga answered
Internal Medicine 16 years experience
Probably no worries: If you have a significant cardiac history, then there may be a cause for concern, but these are both considered relatively normal ejection fractions and may be slightly different due to the differences in the way the echocardiogram was performed. Sometimes very frequent pvcs can affect ef, but they typically have to be quite pronounced (>25% of the underlying rhythm).
6024 viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Liviu Klein answered
Cardiology 23 years experience
Would investigate it: Although both values for ejection fraction are within normal range, there is a drop that needs to be explained. In view of your PVC history, i would recommend a 24 hrs holter monitor, since frequent pvcs (usually more than 10%, especially in a bigeminal or trigeminal pattern) can cause the ejection fraction to drop.
6024 viewsAnswered >2 years ago
Dr. S. Ali Razavi answered
Cardiology 50 years experience
No, that's normal: Not to worry. Ef of 55% is still a normal ef. The ef is variable within certain level depending on many factors.
6024 viewsAnswered >2 years ago
Dr. Vasudev Ananthram answered
Cardiology 32 years experience
Just be sure....: Although ef of 55% is fine we want to make sure that it is not trending down. If you have numerous pvcs such as more than 25000 a day or continued uncommonly high heart rates, it can cause weakness of your heart muscle and may have to be addressed. Please discuss this issue with your doctor. If your pvcs are numerous, you may need a follow up echo in a year to see if ef is stable.
5988 viewsReviewed >2 years ago
90,000 U.S. doctors in 147 specialties are here to answer your questions or offer you advice, prescriptions, and more. Get help now:
Similar questions
Burbank, CA
A 26-year-old female asked:
Clarification.Specifically sinus venosus type asds more likely to be missed on echo. I was wondering of it would at least show signals.
1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in
Dr. Elden Rand answered
Cardiology 21 years experience
Difficult sometimes: Due to the particular location, sinus venous atrial septal defect is frequently difficult to see on transthoracic echocardiography, and may require transesophageal echocardiography to see and characterize.
4960 viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Elden Rand commented
Cardiology 21 years experience
Provided original answer
To clarify: sinus venosus ASD may be more likely to be initially not visualized (missed) than other more common types of ASD due to lack of doppler appearance ("signals") from its particular location. The effect on the heart chamber sizes or physical findings would make one suspicious for an ASD.
Aug 7, 2013
90,000 U.S. doctors in 147 specialties are here to answer your questions or offer you advice, prescriptions, and more. Get help now:
Last updated Oct 3, 2016
People also asked
Connect with a U.S. board-certified doctor by text or video anytime, anywhere.
24/7 visits
$15 per month
Disclaimer:
Content on HealthTap (including answers) should not be used for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and interactions on HealthTap do not create a doctor-patient relationship. Never disregard or delay professional medical advice in person because of anything on HealthTap. Call your doctor or 911 if you think you may have a medical emergency.