This Article Abstract Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Sonntag, S. Articles by Kleber, F. X. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Sonntag, S. Articles by Kleber, F. X.

The calcium sensitizer levosimendan improves the function of stunned myocardium after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty in acute myocardial ischemia

Steffen Sonntag^*,*, Stig Sundberg, PhD, Lasse Antero Lehtonen, MD and Franz Xaver Kleber, MD^*

^* UKB Berlin and Free University Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Orion Corporation, Espoo, Finland
Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland

View larger version (27K): [in a new window]   Figure 1 An example of a pressure–volume loop of a patient receiving levosimendan is shown. Levosimendan caused a downward shift of the diastolic part of the pressure–volume loop. It is noteworthy that all shifts were only minor and the difference of frequency distribution between levosimendan and placebo was not significant. LVP = left ventricular pressure; LVV = left ventricular volume.

View larger version (16K): [in a new window]   Figure 2 The mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) and mean pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (mPCWP) were decreased by levosimendan. In addition, the left ventricular end-systolic and end-diastolic volume indexes (LVESVI and LVEDVI) were decreased by levosimendan, whereas the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was increased. *p 0.05. **p 0.01.