Levosimendan Versus Milrinone for Inotropic Support in Pediatric Cardiac Surgery: Results From a Randomized Trial

INODILATORS ARE widely used to reduce the risk of low cardiac output syndrome (LCOS) after cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) in children. In this setting, milrinone is the drug of choice.1 Levosimendan also is being used for preventing or treating LCOS after pediatric surgery in children.2 It has been demonstrated that levosimendan is safe and at least as effective as milrinone in maintaining cardiac output in the pediatric postcardiac surgery setting.3-5 To the authors ’ knowledge, no studies have compared the effect of these 2 inodilators on myocardial function in children as assessed with longitudinal strain (LS) using 2-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (2D STE).

Source: Journal of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Anesthesia - March 19, 2020 Category: Anesthesiology Authors: Elin M. Thorlacius, H åkan Wåhlander, Tiina Ojala, Kaisa Ylänen, Juho Keski-Nisula, Mats Synnergren, Birgitta S. Romlin, Sven-Erik Ricksten, Albert Castellheim Tags: Original Article Source Type: research