Int J Clin Pharm Th
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Int J Clin Pharm Th · Apr 2004
Clinical TrialHemodynamic effects of levosimendan in patients with low-output heart failure after cardiac surgery.
Following cardiac surgery, low-output syndrome is relatively common. Since this condition can lead to serious consequences, this postsurgical, low-output state should be reversed whenever possible. Patients with low-output syndrome need drug and fluid management aimed at enhancing cardiac contractility and at facilitating optimal myocardial loading. ⋯ Specifically, cardiac index and stroke volume were significantly increased, while mean arterial pressure, indexed systemic vascular resistance, mean pulmonary pressure, right arterial pressure, and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure were all significantly lowered. Taken together, such changes showed enhanced cardiac output along with significantly decreased preload and afterload--conditions associated with recovery of cardiac function. Levosimendan is thus highly favorable for short-term treatment of patients with low cardiac output following cardiac surgery.