title: Levosimendan accelerates recovery in patients with takotsubo cardiomyopathy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy and safety of levosimendan in takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TC).
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted in a retrospective design and 42 consecutive patients were enrolled in 6 cardiovascular centers in Turkey. The records of TC patients having left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) £ 35% were examined at admission, discharge and recovery period including their clinical and echocardiographic data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of these 42 TC patients, 17 were treated with loading dose and i.v. infusion of levosimendan (group 1) and 25 were treated without levosimendan (group 2). Echocardiographic findings at admission and at discharge were similar and no serious complications were observed in either group. However recovery period including the interval of 50% increase in LVEF, time to achieve the baseline troponin values and hospitalization were significantly lower in patients taking levosimendan.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first study using loading dose and subsequent continuous intravenous administration of levosimendan demonstrating accelerated recovery in patients with TC.
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Department, Ordu University Education and Research Hospital, Ordu, Turkey Cardiology Department, Samsun Education and Research Hospital, Samsun, Turkey Cardiology Department, Van Yuzuncu Yıl University Medicine Faculty, Van, Turkey. dr.yaman@windowslive.com.
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yaman
authors.forename: Ugur
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Arslan
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kaya
authors.forename: Aytac
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Akyol
authors.forename: Fatih
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ozturk
authors.forename: Yunus Emre
authors.initials: YE
authors.lastname: Okudan
authors.forename: Adil
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bayramoglu
authors.forename: Osman
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Bektas
mesh_terms: D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006835:Hydrazones / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011724:Pyridazines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000187:drug effects*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D000077464:Simendan; D054549:Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D006835:Hydrazones; D011724:Pyridazines; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D000077464:Simendan
keywords: heart failure; levosimendan; recovery; stress cardiomyopathy; takotsubo cardiomyopathy