Cardiovascular system

Numerous cardiac abnormalities have been documented in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome patients.

These include smaller than normal left ventricle of the heart and low cardiac output.

Reduced cardiac volumes have been associated with blood volume, but not length of disease.

A study found that blood volume is a strong physiological correlate of peak oxygen consumption in patients with CFS.

Orthostatic intolerance is also common.

CFS patients have several risk factors for heart disease. The mean age of death from heart failure of CFS patients is 58.7 years as compared to 83.1 years for the general population.

Learn more

 * 2016, Chronic fatigue syndrome in women assessed with combined cardiac magnetic resonance imaging
 * 2016, The Blood Volume Paradox in ME/CFS and POTS
 * 2016, Reduced cardiac volumes in chronic fatigue syndrome associate with plasma volume but not length of disease: a cohort study
 * 2016, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: the Small Heart Disease
 * 2016, Getting to the heart of chronic fatigue syndrome