Dr Fett??

[KarenV]

I was wondering at what percentage does your ef have to be before they diagnose you with ppcm. Is it as soon as your ef dips below 50%? Mine was 35% at diagnosis and 55% 2 weeks later. Thanking you in advance.

[JAMESFETT]

Hi Karen. The original description of PPCM back in 1971 Circulation journal by Demakis did not specify a level of EF, but the refinement by Hibbard, Lindheimer, and Lang in 1999 specified that the LV function impairment must be with an ejection fraction (EF) of less than 45 percent or 0.45 and the fractional shortening (FS) must be less than 30 percent or 0.30. Those are the criteria we apply in Haiti, and those are the criteria generally accepted. Most of our PPCM patients in Haiti, and the majority in the USA present with an EF well below 0.45.

James