Reporting ejection fraction after myocardial infarction: an opportunity for quality improvement in echocardiography

The assessment of left ventricular function has assumed considerable importance in tailoring postmyocardial infarction therapy. This assessment is frequently accomplished by echocardiography. In many cases, the language of an official report may be sufficiently vague as to preclude judgment about overall left ventricular systolic function. To address this issue, we analyzed official reports from echocardiography studies performed on two hundred Medicare beneficiaries hospitalized with acute myocardial infarction in Connecticut. Our principal finding is that 65 (32.5%) did not convey sufficient information to determine whether the left ventricular ejection fraction was less than 40%. Improving the reporting of echocardiograms may provide an excellent opportunity to enhance the care of patients after myocardial infarction.