Simply put, ejection fraction refers to the percentage of blood pumped out of your heart's left ventricle with each contraction. The left ventricle is responsible for pumping oxygen-rich blood to the rest of your body, so it plays a crucial role in maintaining your overall health.

To determine ejection fraction, doctors use an echocardiogram, a non-invasive imaging test that uses sound waves to create a detailed picture of your heart. During this test, the technician measures the amount of blood in your left ventricle both before and after a heartbeat. The difference between these two volumes is divided by the total volume of blood in the ventricle to calculate the ejection fraction.

正常的射血分數通常在 50% 到 70% 之間。這意味著每次心跳時，左心室大約一半到三分之二的血液會被強烈地泵送到身體其他部位。如果您的射血分數低於 50%，則可能表示您的心臟泵血效率低於正常水平。

射血分數降低通常是心臟衰竭的徵兆，心臟衰竭是指心臟無法有效泵血的疾病。心臟衰竭的病因多種多樣，例如冠狀動脈疾病、心肌梗塞、高血壓、心臟瓣膜疾病或某些心肌疾病。

或者，有些人的射血分數可能較高，通常高於 70%。雖然較高的射血分數乍聽起來可能是好事，但極高的數值可能令人擔憂，因為它們可能表示心臟負荷過重，或患有肥厚型心肌病變，這種疾病的特徵是心肌增厚。

需要注意的是，射血分數只是評估心臟健康的一個指標。還需要考慮其他因素，例如症狀、病史和其他檢查結果，才能進行全面的評估。

If your ejection fraction falls outside the normal range, your doctor may recommend further testing and treatment options. Medications, lifestyle changes, and medical procedures such as implantable cardiac devices or surgery may be prescribed to improve your heart function and quality of life.

值得一提的是，射血分數會隨時間變化，並可能受到藥物、整體健康狀況和生活方式選擇等因素的影響。定期復診和持續監測對於確保心臟功能處於最佳狀態至關重要。

In conclusion, ejection fraction is a crucial measurement used to assess the health of your heart. Understanding what the numbers mean can help you and your healthcare team make informed decisions about your cardiovascular health. If you have concerns about your ejection fraction or heart function, it is always best to consult with a medical professional who can provide you with personalized advice and guidance.