@article{3092527, title = "Hemodynamic effects of Levosimendan added to Dobutamine in patients with decompensated advanced heart failure refractory to Dobutamine alone", author = "Nanas, JN and Papazoglou, PP and Terrovitis, JV and Kanakakis, J and and Dalianis, A and Tsolakis, E and Tsagalou, EP and Agrios, N and and Christodoulou, K and Anastasiou-Nana, MI", journal = "AMERICAN JOURNAL OF CARDIOLOGY", year = "2004", volume = "94", number = "10", pages = "1329-1332", publisher = "Excerpta Medica Inc.", issn = "0002-9149", doi = "10.1016/j.amjcard.2004.07.128", abstract = "A 24-hour infusion of levosimendan was added to dobutamine in 18 patients (aged 63 +/- 9 years) hospitalized for management of decompensated New York Heart Association functional class IV heart failure refractory to a continuous 24-hour infusion of dobutamine (10 mug/kg/min) and furosemide (10 mg/hour); the primary study end point was a greater than or equal to40% increase in cardiac index and a greater than or equal to25% decrease in pulmonary capillary wedge pressure compared with pretreatment measurements. The primary end point was reached in none of the patients treated with dobutamine alone versus 7 patients (39%) treated with levosimendan and dobutamine combined (p = 0.008), whereas at 24 hours, the combined treatment was associated with a 0.76 +/- 0.78 L/min/m(2) (p = 0.001) mean increase in cardiac index and a 6.4 +/- 7.3 mm Hg (p = 0.002) mean decrease in pulmonary capillary wedge pressure compared with measurements obtained after 24 hours of dobutamine infusion alone. Symptoms were alleviated in, all patients, and all but 3 were discharged from the hospital. (C) 2004 by Excerpta Medica, Inc." }