TY  -  JOUR
AU  -  Follath, Ferenc
T1  -  Levosimendan in patients with low-output heart failure: lessons from the LIDO trial
PY  -  2003
Y1  -  2003-05-01
JO  -  Archivi - Giornale Italiano di Cardiologia
JA  -  Ital Heart J Suppl
VL  -  4
IS  -  5
SP  -  34
EP  -  38
PB  -  Il Pensiero Scientifico Editore
SN  -  1972-6481
Y2  -  2026/04/16
N2  -  The novel calcium sensitizer levosimendan improves myocardial contractility without causing an increase in intracellular calcium and cyclic adenosine monophosphate concentrations. It also has a vasodilator action due to an opening of the adenosine triphosphate-sensitive potassium channels. In a double-blind clinical trial levosimendan was compared with dobutamine in 203 patients with severe low-output congestive heart failure. A 24-hour infusion of these inotropic drugs was administered to increase the cardiac output by at least 30% together with a decrease in the pulmonary capillary wedge pressure by ≥25%. The pre-defined hemodynamic improvement was achieved in 28% of patients receiving levosimendan compared to only 15% with dobutamine (p = 0.022). Levosimendan also reduced the 1- and 6-month mortality more than dobutamine (7.8 vs 17%, p = 0.045 and 26 vs 38%, p = 0.029, respectively). Levosimendan produced less myocardial ischemia and cardiac arrhythmias than dobutamine.<BR>Calcium sensitizers offer a new therapeutic possibility in patients with decompensated low-output heart failure.
ER  -