Library · Physiology
Ejection fraction
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The ejection fraction is a percentage, not an amount. It tells you what share of the blood that was inside the left ventricle, the chamber that pumps blood to the whole body, leaves it with each beat.
The blood that leaves with that beat is called the stroke volume, and it is the difference between two volumes: the one inside when the ventricle has finished filling and the one left after it contracts.
Think of it this way: of everything the glass holds, how much empties in one swallow.
That is why it is a measure of systolic function, that is, of how forcefully the heart contracts, and it is used to classify heart failure. It is obtained with imaging studies such as the echocardiogram or cardiac MRI.
In brief
The left ventricular ejection fraction is expressed as a percentage: the share of blood the ventricle pumps out with each beat.
Of everything the glass holds, how much empties in one swallow.
The stroke volume is the difference between the volume at the end of filling and the volume left after the contraction.
It measures systolic function, predicts cardiovascular outcomes, and is used to classify heart failure.
It is obtained with echocardiography, cardiac MRI, or CT.
Sources (1)
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, StatPearls PublishingLeft Ventricular Ejection Fraction, StatPearlsPublished
This page explains the topic in general terms; it does not tell anyone what treatment to follow.
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