Assessment of safety and efficacy of levosimendan therapy on symptomatic relief acute decompansated heart failure Akut dekompanze kalp yetersizliǧinde levosimendan tedavisinin semptomlar üzerine etkinliǧinin ve güvenilirliǧinin deǧerlendirilmesi
Turkiye Klinikleri Journal of Medical Sciences, cilt.26, sa.1, ss.31-36, 2006 (Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 26 Sayı: 1
- Basım Tarihi: 2006
- Dergi Adı: Turkiye Klinikleri Journal of Medical Sciences
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Scopus
- Sayfa Sayıları: ss.31-36
- Anahtar Kelimeler: Calcium, Heart failure, Levosimendan
- Sağlık Bilimleri Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
Objective: Calcium sensitizers constitute a new class of drugs that offer hemodynamic, symptomatic and survival benefits in patients with acute decompansated heart failure. Levosimendan is the most potent calcium-sensitizing drug with vasodilator and inotropic effects. The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy on symptomatic relief of levosimendan therapy in acute decompansated heart failure. Material and Methods: The study included 49 patients (36 male, mean age 56 ± 17 year) who had received levosimendan therapy. Following a 12 or 24 μg/kg/10 minute loading dose of levosimendan, 0.05-0.2 μg/kg/minute infusion for 24 hr was planned. At the end of treatment the change in symptomatic status, side effects attributed to levosimendan therapy and New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class at the time of discharge were assessed. Results: At the end of levosimendan therapy improvement in symptoms were observed in 36 (71%) patients; 1 (2%) patient showed symptomatic deterioration and in 13 (27%) patients no change in symptomatic status was observed. Significant improvement in NYHA functional status was detected at the time of discharge compared to pretreatment status (NYHA class 2.6 vs. class 3.3, p< 0.001). During the treatment period, the most common side effects were hypotension (14%), non-sustained ventricular tachycardia (12%) and headache (8%). Treatment was withdrawn due to adverse events in 2 (4%) patients. While no deaths were observed during the treatment period; 2 patients-one 2 days and the other 2 weeks after the therapy-during the hospital stay. Conclusion: In the majority of acute decompansated heart failure patients, symptomatic improvement was achieved with levosimendan therapy with acceptable tolerability. Levosimendan therapy may become more popular in severe congestive heart failure treatment if the beneficial effects can be confirmed in ongoing large-scale studies. Copyright © 2006 by Türkiye Klinikleri.