title: Levosimendan preoperative.
abstract: During the last years an increasing number of patients with high perioperative risk and decreased left ventricular function are referred to cardiac and non-cardiac surgery. In this subgroup of patients, heart failure is the major cause of perioperative morbidity and mortality. In order to prevent and treat this type of complications several therapeutic attempts have been tried involving intra aortic balloon pump and inotropic agents infusion (such as beta-adrenergic agonists and phosphodiesterase inhibitors) Levosimendan is new inotropic agent; it is a calcium-sensitising inotropic agent and a vasodilator used in the treatment of heart failure. In the last ten years several reports have been published on levosimendan. The inotropic efficacy of levosimendan is dose-dependent and equal or even superior to any of the other commercially available inotropic agents. The aim of the present review is to describe experimental and clinical effects of perioperative treatment with levosimendan.
authors.affiliation: Coronary Care Unit and Catheterization Laboratory, Hospital Maggiore della Carità, Corso Mazzini 18, 28100 Novara, Italy. arognoni@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rognoni
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lupi
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cavallino
authors.forename: Alessia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Veia
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bacchini
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rosso
authors.forename: Gioel Gabrio
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Secco
authors.forename: Angelo Sante
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Bongo
mesh_terms: D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D006835:Hydrazones / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011300:Preoperative Care; D011724:Pyridazines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077464:Simendan; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D006835:Hydrazones; D011724:Pyridazines; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D000077464:Simendan