Ejection fraction rate refers to the rate or amount of blood ejected by the heart after each beat or cardiac cycle. The measurement of the ejection fraction rate may be made on both the right and left ventricles of the heart. For the right ventricle, the amount of blood that exits them and goes to the lungs after a beat is measured. For the left ventricle, the ejection fraction refers to the amount of blood that is ejected for circulation by the entire body. In most cases, the ejection fraction rate of the left ventricle is measured as it indicates whether the heart muscles are healthy or not. The left ventricle is also considered to be the heart’s main pumping station and so measurement of ejection fraction in this part of the heart is usually desired and prescribed.

For people with heart disease, measurement of the ejection fraction rate is one of many tests to determine heart health, severity of condition, or possible prognosis from existing disease. People with very low ejection fraction rates are known to have severe heart ailments or those with major problems in the heart valves. Weakening in the cardiac muscles are also known to contribute to the lowering of the ejection fraction rate. For people with low ejection fraction rates, some may be prescribed with electronic defibrillators that are implanted on the heart to help its function.

Measurement of ejection fraction rate may be done using different medical techniques. The most common technique is called echocardiography. In this procedure, an ultrasound-like machine is used to check on the heart’s condition and measure the corresponding blood volumes needed for diagnosis. Some patients may also need to undergo heart catheterization, computerized tomography or CT-scan, or even MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scans in order to get the value for his/her ejection fraction rate.