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.
Department of Anesthesiology, University Hospital Grosshadern, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany.
Florian
F
Weis
Andres
A
Beiras-Fernandez
Ingo
I
Kaczmarek
Ralf
R
Sodian
Felix
F
Kur
Marion
M
Weis
Michael
M
Schmoeckel
Bruno
B
Reichart
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