Does anyone know how to raise the heart ejection fraction?
I am looking for any information on raising the heart ejection fraction. My friend had a serious lung infection and was placed in a medically induced coma for two weeks on a ventilator so that his lungs could improve. He was in the ICU for 3 weeks. After a 3 month course of prednisone he is much better but it is thought that the severe lung infection (an unusual form of pneumonia) weakened his heart. His ejection fraction is 35%. He is taking a prevastatin, carvedilol, and lisinopril. He is also taking CoQ10 and vitamins. We are really hoping the ejection fraction improves over time. Does anyone have any information on raising the heart ejection fraction? His cardiologist has said no heavy exertion or heavy lifting. He is otherwise healthy. Not overweight. He quit smoking. Is it possible to strengthen the heart muscle so that the ejection fraction improves? Has anyone known anyone or had personal experience with a low ejection fraction improving?
Re: Does anyone know how to raise the heart ejection fraction?
Quote:
Originally Posted by texasjade
... Is it possible to strengthen the heart muscle so that the ejection fraction improves? Has anyone known anyone or had personal experience with a low ejection fraction improving?
I was first diagnosed with Heart Failure about 25 years ago. During the first 17 years my health and heart got progressively worse. I am now close to 70 years of age. My health and my heart have been getting much better over the past 8 years.
My most recent EchoCardiogram, from the Cleveland Clinic, showed significant improvement in my heart compared to last years Echo.
I've posted about my experiences in a thread listed under this Heart Disorders topic, titled: My enlarged, stretched out heart (CHF) is rapidly getting better.
The direct link is : http://www.healthboards.com/boards/showthread.php?t=863130
Re: Does anyone know how to raise the heart ejection fraction?
Thanks so much for the information. I am going to read your earlier posts and threads. What a great success story you have. I am curious to know what household products you thought might be contributing to your illness. I have long suspected that certain household products could be giving me headaches. I am going to look into Coreg as you have had such success with it. I have a lot of questions regarding heart failure/;pw heart ejection fraction and plan on going with my friend to his next appointment with his cardiologist. Sometimes it helps to have an advocate. I want to make sure we get answers to our questions. I know that nutrition and exercise play a huge role in recovery from all kinds of conditions and it stands to reason that certain exercises and nutrients could help in raising the heart ejection fraction. Thanks again for your reply to my post. I look forward to reading your threads.
Re: Does anyone know how to raise the heart ejection fraction?
Immediately post heart attach my EJ was around 25%. With consistent walking and excercise its increased to just below normal levels. About 51% is considered normal for a man my age (52). Its about strengthening the heart muscles and the on;y way to do that is to excercise it. Lisinopril is for high blood pressure. Ask his doc about Metoprolol.
The Following User Says Thank You to Bob in Texas For This Useful Post: texasjade (01-18-2012)
Re: Does anyone know how to raise the heart ejection fraction?
Wow, that's great you were able to raise your ejection fraction to near normal. My friend has added Hawthorne to his regimen as well as magnesium in the chelated form. I have read that exercise plays a huge role and your post confirms it. Thanks so much for your post. Many doctors say that CHF is irreversible but I totally don't believe that after looking more deeply into it.
Re: Does anyone know how to raise the heart ejection fraction?
Bob, can you tell me when you had your heart attack and what part of the heart was affected? My husband had a serious heart attack a little over three months ago that damaged his left ventricle. He is mid-50's, was in very good health before with no indications he had any problems. His ejection fraction is still only 30%. We have been told it may still come up over time but no one will give us a time frame. He is working out at cardiac rehab and taking all of his prescribed meds.
Re: Does anyone know how to raise the heart ejection fraction?
I had CABG X3 on 01 July 2010. At that time my EF was 40%. It is now 50% 6 months post-op. Although exercise has obvious cardiovascular benefits it has not been shown to consistently result in an increase in Ejection Fraction. The use of Coreg and Lisinopril are clinically proven to increase EF. Best benefits are achieved with Coreg 25mg BID and Lisinopril 20mg BID. Your cardiologist will most likely begin with low dosages of each, increasing them over time. The reason is to assure that your blood pressure can handle the higher doses since a sudden drop in BP can result in light-headedness and dizziness upon rising from a sitting position when dosing with Coreg. Coreg is great stuff. Prior to my surgery my BP was 150/100. After the surgery and dosing with Coreg and Lisinopril, my resting BP is 110/65. I am looking forward to my next echocardiogram and to see another increase in my EF. The prevastatin is to lower the cholesterol. There is a school of thought that statin therapy affects the levels of CoQ10. And there are a lot of sites that push CoQ10 supplements to offset the effects of statin therapy. I take 100mg CoQ10 daily but that is on my own. I was not advised either way by my cardiologist. Additionally, make sure your friend has liver enzymes checked as the statins directly affect the liver. Mine are checked every 6 months. By the way, before my surgery my cholesterol level was around 230. Last blood work showed my cholesterol at 130. Good luck to you and your friend.
Re: Does anyone know how to raise the heart ejection fraction?
My husband had a silent heart attack, in 2006, and had a defibrillator implanted as a safety precaution. His ejection faction was low. He was put on Metropol (sp?)and Lisinoprol. (sp?) It DID strengthen his heart. His heart disease is complicated by diabetes.
Because he didn't pay attention to his diabetes, he just had a nuclear stress test. It showed a fraction of 25%. His meds were upped. Metropol is 50 mgs 2X and Lisinprol; 10 mgs 2x a day. He is very exhausted, and gets out of breath easily. There are no restrictions on activities, except if he gets out of breath, and tired, he is to stop his activity.
In 4 months he will be seeing his cardiologist. The same one our Primary sees for HIS heart problems. So if our primary has heart disease, I would assume he is up to date on all the studies that are coming down the pike.
So since the heart can heal, and get stronger, I suggest you follow your cardiologist's orders. If what is told you, seems off, see another cardiologist. You know, a third opinion, if you don't feel comfortable with the second doctor, is good too.
It IS OUR BODY, and no one else can take care of our body like we can. We PAY for their services, of the knowledge they received from their education. We hire them, and we can fire them, by seeing another one.
Re: Does anyone know how to raise the heart ejection fraction? 
