Heart Failure Quality Measures
Left ventricular function assessment
The left ventricle (LV) of the heart is the chamber that pumps blood to the rest of the body. Left ventricular function is often, but not always, impaired in persons with heart failure. The Joint Commission , in conjunction with the American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association, therefore, recommends LV assessment as a key diagnostic test for persons with suspected heart failure.
The most common test to assess LV function is the echocardiogram, or “echo.” This test helps the physician determine how the heart is affected. There are three main parts of the heart that may be affected. The muscle (myocardium), valves, or covering (pericardium) may be affected, contributing to heart failure symptoms according to the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and American Heart Association (AHA) Guidelines for the Evaluation and Management of Chronic Heart Failure in the Adult.
The left ventricle is the part of the heart that holds and pumps blood to other vital organs. A measure called the left ventricular ejection fraction or LVEF is used to check for damage due to heart attacks and other conditions. The LVEF value for a person with no heart damage is usually around 60 percent or greater. Systolic dysfunction (condition that causes reduced pumping ability of the heart’s left lower ventricle) represents reduced pumping ability of the heart.
At St. Mary’s Hospital Medical Center, 87 percent of heart failure patients received left ventricular function assessment in 2006.