Most people measure their blood pressure every now and then to see if it’s high, low, or in the normal range. But there are other values ​​that say something about heart health. Revyuh explains what the abbreviations HMV, HF, SV and EF mean.

1. Cardiac output (HMV)

The value describes the amount of blood that the heart pumps into the bloodstream in one minute. That is around 4.5 to 5 liters at rest. The HMV is calculated from the heart rate (HR) times the stroke volume (SV).

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The cardiologist measures the cardiac output, also cardiac output (CO), with a right heart catheter examination, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or echocardiography (ultrasound).

2. Heart rate (HR)

This is the number of heartbeats per minute. That is 60 to 90 in healthy adults. The doctor determines the value by listening with the stethoscope or in the electrocardiogram (EKG).

3. Stroke volume (SV)

The term refers to the amount of blood that the heart pumps into the body when the heart beats. This is around 70 milliliters in healthy people.

The SV is measured by means of echocardiography, cardiac catheter examination, MRI or computed tomography (CT)

4. Ejection fraction (EF)

It is the measure of the heart’s function and is also called the ejection fraction. Because the heart doesn’t pump out all of the blood when it contracts. Healthy adults have an EF of 50 to 60 percent.

The doctor measures this value with an ultrasound examination of the heart, the so-called echocardiography.

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If someone has deviating values, it can indicate that the heart is no longer pumping properly. Possible causes include a weak heart, valve disease, fever, or thyroid malfunction.

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