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Calcium Sensitizer Levosimendan and Its Use in Acute Heart Failure and Related Conditions

  • Chapter
Acute Heart Failure

Abstract

The principal actions of levosimendan at therapeutic concentrations are as follows:

  • Calcium sensitization of myocytes

  • Arterial and venous dilatation mediated via the opening of adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-sensitive potassium channels in vascular smooth muscle.

This combination of actions endows levosimendan with the properties of both an energy-efficient inotrope and a balanced vasodilator. In addition, levosimendan exerts antiischemic and cardioprotective effects via potassium channels in cardiomyoctes.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Lariboisière University Hospital, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Université Paris Diderot, Paris, France

    Alexandre Mebazaa MD, PhD

  2. School of Medicine of Tunis, Tunis, Tunisia

    Alexandre Mebazaa MD, PhD

  3. Section of Cardiology, San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA

    John R. Teerlink MD, FACC, FAHA, FESC

  4. Department of Cardiology and Critical Care, Orion Pharma, Espoo, Finland

    Piero Pollesello PhD

Authors
  1. Alexandre Mebazaa MD, PhD
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  2. John R. Teerlink MD, FACC, FAHA, FESC
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  3. Piero Pollesello PhD
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Lariboisière University Hospital, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Université Paris Diderot, Paris, France

    Alexandre Mebazaa MD, PhD (Professor of Medicine) (Professor of Medicine)

  2. Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA

    Mihai Gheorghiade MD, FACC (Professor of Medicine and Surgery, Associate Chief, Division of Cardiology and Chief, Cardiology Clinical Service) (Professor of Medicine and Surgery, Associate Chief, Division of Cardiology and Chief, Cardiology Clinical Service)

  3. Department of Cardiology Centre d’Investigation Clinique (CIC), INSERM U-684, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, University Henri Poincaré, Nancy, France

    Faiez M. Zannad MD, PhD, FESC (Professor of Medicine) (Professor of Medicine)

  4. Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Camden, NJ, USA

    Joseph E. Parrillo MD (Professor of Medicine, Chief, Department of Medicine Edward D. Viner MD Chair, Department of Medicine and Director) (Professor of Medicine, Chief, Department of Medicine Edward D. Viner MD Chair, Department of Medicine and Director)

  5. Cooper Heart Institute, Cooper University Hospital, Camden, NJ, USA

    Joseph E. Parrillo MD (Professor of Medicine, Chief, Department of Medicine Edward D. Viner MD Chair, Department of Medicine and Director) (Professor of Medicine, Chief, Department of Medicine Edward D. Viner MD Chair, Department of Medicine and Director)

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Mebazaa, A., Teerlink, J.R., Pollesello, P. (2008). Calcium Sensitizer Levosimendan and Its Use in Acute Heart Failure and Related Conditions. In: Mebazaa, A., Gheorghiade, M., Zannad, F.M., Parrillo, J.E. (eds) Acute Heart Failure. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-84628-782-4_55

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-84628-782-4_55

  • Publisher Name: Springer, London

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-84628-781-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-84628-782-4

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