Left ventricle functionality should be preserved subsequent
to CABG and valve replacement. There
is often
is no improvement of the EF if it was abnormal before the surgery...surgery is oftened contraindicated for a patient with low EF.
Heart failure is an EF 29% or below. Six years ago, I was in ICU for several days with congested heart failure. The EF was 13-29% and blood backed up into the lungs causing edema (shortness of breath, dry cough, fast heart rate).