Last Updated on January 7, 2025 by Analgesia team
HFREF Medical Abbreviation
HFrEF is a medical abbreviation for heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. It’s a type of heart failure that occurs when the heart’s left ventricle doesn’t pump enough blood out to the body. This is also known as systolic heart failure.
Ejection fraction is a measurement, expressed as a percentage, of how much blood the left ventricle pumps out with each contraction.
An ejection fraction of 50% means that 50% of the total amount of blood in the left ventricle is pumped out with each heartbeat. A normal heart’s ejection fraction is between 55 and 70%.
What it is HFREF |
The left ventricle doesn’t pump enough blood out to the body
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Ejection fraction |
40% or less
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Causes |
Coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, myocarditis, and dilated cardiomyopathy
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Symptoms |
Dyspnea or exertional limitation
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Diagnosis |
Review of symptoms and medical history, physical examination, and lab tests
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Treatment |
Angiotensin receptor plus neprilysin inhibitors (ARNIs)
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Other types of heart failure include:
- Heart failure with preserved ejection (HFpEF): Also known as diastolic heart failure, this occurs when the left ventricle can’t relax normally.
- Heart failure with mid-range ejection (HFmrEF): The left ventricle pumps between 41% and 49%.
- Right-sided heart failure: Usually occurs as a result of left-sided failure.