Left ventricular ejection fraction in women: when normal isnt normal

‘What is a normal left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF)?’ A simple question that one would assume has a straightforward answer given that LVEF is one of the most frequently applied metrics in cardiology for diagnosis, risk stratification and management of multiple conditions, ranging from hypertension and coronary artery disease to heart failure (HF). The simple answer appears to be ‘it depends’—it depends on the patient (ie, age, sex, race/ethnicity, body size), imaging modality and who one asks. The British Society of Echocardiography defines a normal LVEF as ≥55%; the American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) and European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging (EACVI) as ≥52% in men and ≥54% in women; and the World Alliance Societies of Echocardiography (WASE) as ≥57% in men and ≥58% in women.1 On the contrary, the European, American and universal definitions in HF all use a sex-neutral LVEF cut-off of 50%, below which patients...
Source: Heart - Category: Cardiology Authors: Tags: Editorials Source Type: research