Effects of levosimendan on markers of left ventricular diastolic function and neurohormonal activation in patients with advanced heart failure.

Abstract	In this randomized, placebo-controlled study, it was found that a 24-hour levosimendan infusion improves echocardiographic markers of abnormal left ventricular diastolic function (transmitral flow patterns and mitral annulus velocities, as assessed by transthoracic pulse-wave Doppler and tissue Doppler imaging, respectively) and reduces substances of excessive neurohormonal activation (plasma B-type natriuretic peptide and interleukin-6) in patients with advanced heart failure. Moreover, levosimendan-treated patients had fewer events and longer progression-free survival during a 5-month follow-up compared with those who received placebo. Thus, levosimendan seems to be effective in improving left ventricular diastolic function and reducing neurohormonal activation in patients with severe heart failure.
Authors	John T Parissis, Fotios Panou, Dimitrios Farmakis, Stamatis Adamopoulos, Gerasimos Filippatos, Ioannis Paraskevaidis, Koula Venetsanou, John Lekakis, Dimitrios Th Kremastinos
Journal	The American journal of cardiology (Am J Cardiol) Vol. 96 Issue 3 Pg. 423-6 (Aug 01 2005) ISSN: 0002-9149 [Print] United States
PMID	16054474 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial)
Chemical References	Cardiotonic Agents Hydrazones Interleukin-6 Pyridazines Natriuretic Peptide, Brain Simendan
Topics	Aged Cardiotonic Agents (administration & dosage, therapeutic use) Chi-Square Distribution Echocardiography, Doppler Female Heart Failure (blood, diagnostic imaging, drug therapy) Humans Hydrazones (administration & dosage, therapeutic use) Infusions, Intravenous Interleukin-6 (blood) Male Middle Aged Natriuretic Peptide, Brain (blood) Pyridazines (administration & dosage, therapeutic use) Simendan Statistics, Nonparametric Treatment Outcome Ventricular Dysfunction, Left (blood, diagnostic imaging, drug therapy)

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