Patients with severely reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) face a high risk of morbidity and mortality after cardiac surgery. Impaired cardiac function preoperatively predisposes patients to low cardiac output syndrome. Levosimendan acts by a different mechanism than traditional inotropes and its preoperative use could improve the outcome of patients with cardiac failure. Specifically, it promotes vasodilation of coronary, pulmonary and systemic vessels, has an anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effect and enhances cardiac contractility by improving the response of the myofilaments to intracellular calcium.~The aim of this retrospective study will be to investigate the effect of the preoperative administration of levosimendan on the outcome of patients with compromised cardiac function undergoing cardiac surgery.
The aim of this retrospective study will be to investigate the effect of the preoperative administration of levosimendan on the outcome of patients with compromised cardiac function undergoing cardiac surgery