Intracoronary infusion of levosimendan to treat postpericardiotomy heart failure.

Abstract

Systemic hypotension limits the intravenous use of levosimendan, particularly in coronary disease. Published reports show that the intracoronary administration of levosimendan in animal models causes an increase of coronary blood flow without systemic hypotension. In this case report, the intracoronary administration of levosimendan bolus in a 74-year-old man with postpericardiotomy heart failure elicited beneficial cardiac effects, increasing both systolic and diastolic functions and blood flow in all of the grafts. No changes of heart rate and systemic arterial blood pressure were observed.