title: Levosimendan. A promising future drug for refractory cardiac failure in children?
abstract: Intravenous positive inotropic agents play an important role in treating acute decompensation of patients with heart failure due to left ventricular systolic dysfunction. Levosimendan is a new positive inotropic agent having ATP-dependent potassium-channel opening, and calcium-sensitizing effects, which increases cardiac contractility and performance along with vasodilatatory action without increasing myocardial oxygen demand. We report a case of a 12-year-old girl with viral myocarditis, dilated cardiomyopathy, biventricular failure with severe left ventricular dysfunction, refractory to standard management, and who was successfully improved with levosimendan.
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Yenepoya Medical College, Deralakatte, Mangalore, Karnataka, India. Electronic address: drsupriyabhu@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Supriya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kushwah
authors.affiliation: Post Graduate, Department of Anaesthesia, A.J. Institute of Medical Science, Mangalore, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Ashutosh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor, Pediatrics, Yenepoya Medical College, Deralakatte, Mangalore, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Sahana
mesh_terms: D002311:Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002648:Child; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D006835:Hydrazones / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D009200:Myocardial Contraction; D009205:Myocarditis / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000821:virology; D011724:Pyridazines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000077464:Simendan
chemical_list: D002316:Cardiotonic Agents; D006835:Hydrazones; D011724:Pyridazines; D000077464:Simendan
keywords: Children; Levosimendan; Refractory CHF