When the heart pumps normally but struggles
Ask the doctor
Heart failure means that the heart cannot pump well enough to meet the body's need for blood. To diagnose the condition, doctors rely on several tests, including blood tests, an electrocardiogram (ECG), and a chest x-ray. An ultrasound of the heart (echocardiogram) shows how well the heart can pump. A measurement known as the ejection fraction, or EF, refers to the amount of blood pushed out (ejected) with each heartbeat. A normal EF is 50% to 70%.
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