Vérkilökés

Vérkilökés, also known as ejection fraction, is a measurement used in medicine to assess the efficiency of the heart's pumping action. Specifically, it quantifies the percentage of blood that is pumped out of the left ventricle with each contraction. The left ventricle is the heart's main pumping chamber, responsible for sending oxygenated blood to the rest of the body.

A normal ejection fraction for the left ventricle typically ranges between 50% and 70%. This means that in a healthy heart, more than half of the blood within the ventricle is expelled with each beat. A lower ejection fraction may indicate that the heart muscle is weakened or damaged, which can occur due to various conditions such as heart failure, heart attack, or cardiomyopathy.

Ejection fraction is usually measured using echocardiography, cardiac MRI, or nuclear cardiology. It is a crucial diagnostic tool for evaluating heart function, determining the severity of heart disease, and guiding treatment decisions. Changes in ejection fraction over time can also help monitor a patient's response to therapy. While a key indicator, ejection fraction is just one aspect of overall cardiac health and is often considered alongside other clinical information.