Levosimendan: a new therapeutic option in the treatment of primary graft dysfunction after heart transplantation.
Primary graft dysfunction after heart transplantation is a severe complication generally related to prolonged ischemia time, size mismatch, or poor quality of the organ. Current therapeutic options include pharmacologic inotropic support with catecholamines or phosphodiesterase inhibitors, and mechanical circulatory support. We report 12 patients who received levosimendan, a new Ca(2+) sensitizer, as adjunctive inotropic support. The patients showed a rapid reduction of the doses of inotropic drugs, and no patient needed mechanical support. Levosimendan may be a useful, adjunctive inotropic drug in the treatment of patients with primary graft dysfunction after heart transplantation.
Weis
Florian
F
Department of Anesthesiology, University Hospital Grosshadern, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany.
Beiras-Fernandez
Andres
A
Kaczmarek
Ingo
I
Sodian
Ralf
R
Kur
Felix
F
Weis
Marion
M
Schmoeckel
Michael
M
Reichart
Bruno
B
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000187:drug effects; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000502:physiology*; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D006835:Hydrazones / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011724:Pyridazines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077464:Simendan; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy
D002316:Cardiotonic Agents; D006835:Hydrazones; D011724:Pyridazines; D000077464:Simendan