title: Levosimendan improves postresuscitation myocardial dysfunction after beta-adrenergic blockade.
abstract: In earlier studies, we found that a nonselective beta-adrenergic blocking agent, propranolol, facilitated cardiac resuscitation, reduced postresuscitation myocardial ectopy, and improved postresuscitation survival. However, the potential adverse effects and specifically the negative inotropic actions of propranolol prompted our further investigation of the potential value of a non-beta-adrenergic inotropic drug, levosimendan, in conjunction with propranolol, for minimizing postresuscitation myocardial dysfunction after successful resuscitation from cardiac arrest. Ventricular fibrillation was induced and untreated for 7 minutes in 15 domestic pigs, which were divided into propranolol, propranolol plus levosimendan, and control groups. Propranolol was administered as a bolus dose of 0.1 mg/kg during cardiac arrest. Electrical defibrillation was attempted after 12 minutes of cardiac arrest including 5 minutes of precordial compression. Levosimendan was administered at 10 minutes after successful resuscitation in a dose of 20 microg/kg and followed by infusion of 0.4 microg/kg/min over the ensuing 220 minutes. Propranolol reduced energies or numbers of defibrillatory shocks and postresuscitation myocardial ectopy, and it improved postresuscitation myocardial dysfunction. When levosimendan was added, postresuscitation myocardial contractile function was improved even more.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Critical Care Medicine, 35100 Bob Hope Drive, Rancho Mirage, CA 92270, USA. weilm@911research.org
authors.forename: Jinglan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Max Harry
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Weil
authors.forename: Wanchun
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Shijie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D016887:Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000503:physiopathology; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects*; D006835:Hydrazones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D011433:Propranolol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011724:Pyridazines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000077464:Simendan; D013552:Swine
chemical_list: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents; D006835:Hydrazones; D011724:Pyridazines; D000077464:Simendan; D011433:Propranolol