title: New positive inotropic agents in the treatment of left ventricular dysfunction.
abstract: Three major classes of inotropic agents have been clinically evaluated in patients with left ventricular dysfunction: a) agents that increase the intracellular concentration of cyclic adenosine monophosphate by stimulating the beta-adrenergic receptor or inhibiting phosphodiesterase; b) drugs that increase the intracellular sodium concentration; c) the new calcium-sensitizing drugs. This review will focus on the newest drug for each of the above-mentioned classes of inotropic agents. Moreover, we present a new protocol which provides the use of levosimendan in patients with post-ischemic left ventricular dysfunction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovcascular and Respiratory Sciences, La Sapienza University, Rome, Italy. leodeluca@virgilio.it
authors.forename: Leonardo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: De Luca
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Proietti
authors.forename: Gian Luca
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Palombaro
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Battagliese
authors.forename: Annalisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Celotto
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bucciarelli Ducci
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fedele
mesh_terms: D002316:Cardiotonic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003971:Diastole / Q000187:drug effects; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D006835:Hydrazones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D020105:Milrinone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000188:drug therapy; D010726:Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011719:Pyrazines; D011724:Pyridazines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011804:Quinolines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000077464:Simendan; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D002316:Cardiotonic Agents; D006835:Hydrazones; D010726:Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors; D011719:Pyrazines; D011724:Pyridazines; D011804:Quinolines; D000077464:Simendan; C041667:vesnarinone; D020105:Milrinone