Patterns of left ventricular function assessment in patients with acute coronary syndromes

Abstract Background In patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS), guidelines recommend the assessment of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). Many ACS patients undergo multiple assessments of LVEF, the clinical value of which is unknown. Methods ACS patients undergoing cardiac catheterization between 2012 and 2016 were evaluated and assessments of LV function identified. To evaluate changes in LVEF over time, available echocardiograms were reviewed in a subsample of patients with LVEF data available (n=3221). ACS patients were classified into three groups: group 1 (LVEF >50%), group 2 (LVEF 35%-50%) and group 3 (LVEF Results Our cohort consisted of 8327 ACS patients (76% males), presenting with a mean age of 62.4 ± 12.4 years. At index presentation, 66% of patients had an LVEF >50%, 27% had an LVEF between 35-50% and 7% had severely reduced LVEF of Conclusion ACS patients often undergo multiple assessments of LV function. Those with initially preserved ejection fraction rarely demonstrate a decline in EF to