If you have an EF of less than 35%, you have a greater risk of life-threatening irregular heartbeats that can cause sudden cardiac arrest/death. If your EF is below 35%, your doctor may talk to you about treatment with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) or cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT).
How bad is an ejection fraction of 20?
An EF of 20% is about one-third of the normal ejection fraction. This means 80% of the blood stays in the ventricle. The heart is not pumping all the oxygen-rich blood the body needs. The blood that is not ejected from the ventricle can back up into the lungs and cause shortness of breath.
What is a strong ejection fraction?
What Is a High Ejection Fraction? If your ejection fraction is higher than 75%, it could be a sign of a condition called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. It causes the walls of your heart to beat harder. They become thick and stiff, and your heart doesn’t take in or pump out as much blood as usual.