Abstract
The use of inotropes for correcting hemodynamic dysfunction in patients with congestive heart failure has been described over many decades. However, negative or insufficient data have been collected regarding the effects of cardiac glycosides, catecholamines, and phosphodiesterase inhibitors on quality of life and survival. More recently, the calcium sensitizer and potassium channel-opener levosimendan has been proposed as a safer inodilator than traditional agents in some heart failure settings, such as advanced heart failure. At the 2017 annual congress of the Heart Failure Association of the European Society of Cardiology (Paris, April 30-May 2), a series of tutorials delivered by lecturers from 8 European countries examined how to use levosimendan safely and effectively in acute and advanced heart failure. The proceedings of those tutorials have been collated in this review to provide an expert perspective on the optimized use of levosimendan in those settings.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology |
| Volume | 71 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| Pages (from-to) | 129-136 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| ISSN | 0160-2446 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Mar 2018 |
Keywords
- Acute Disease
- Cardiotonic Agents/adverse effects
- Chronic Disease
- Clinical Decision-Making
- Congresses as Topic
- Databases, Factual
- Heart Failure/diagnosis
- Humans
- Myocardial Contraction/drug effects
- Patient Selection
- Recovery of Function
- Risk Factors
- Simendan/adverse effects
- Treatment Outcome
- Vasodilation/drug effects
- Vasodilator Agents/adverse effects