What it means
A measure of how well the heart pumps, usually found by echocardiogram. A normal heart pumps out about 55% to 70% of the blood in the left ventricleLEFT VEN-trih-kulThe heart's lower left chamber, which pumps oxygen-rich blood into the aorta and out to the body.Full entry with each beat. A low ejection fraction means a weak pump and is used to diagnose and follow heart failure; some people have heart failure with a normal ejection fraction, when the ventricle is too stiff to fill well.
At a glance
| Normal range | About 55%–70%. |
|---|---|
| Abbreviations | EF; LVEF |
| Spanish | fracción de eyección |
| Also written | EF, LVEF, left ventricular ejection fraction |
Related terms
heart failure
A long-term condition in which the heart cannot pump enough blood to meet the body's needs.
cardiac output
The amount of blood the heart pumps out in one minute.
left ventricle
The heart's lower left chamber, which pumps oxygen-rich blood into the aorta and out to the body.