Impact of preoperative levosimendan therapy on the volemic status and vascular tone of patients with chronic heart failure during anesthesia

: The impact of preoperative levosimendan therapy on the volemic status and vascular tone was studied in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) during anesthesia and the ways of correcting the occurring changes were defined. The study included 21 patients with CHF in the presence of dilated cardiomyopathy, who underwent mitral valve replacement and tricuspid valvoplasty. Group 1 patients (n = 11) were given levosimendan (Simdax) in a dose of 0.05-0.1 mg/kg x min 2 days prior to surgery; Group 2 (n = 10) was control. Central hemodynamics was monitored by the transpulmonary thermodilution technique (PiCCO-Plus, Pulsion Medical System). Intraoperative monitoring of microcirculation was made using a laser microcirculation analyzer. It has been established that the preoperative administration of levosimendan causes an increase in stroke index at critical surgical stages. With the use of levosimendan, peripheral microcirculation improves and nutritional blood flow increases. The preoperative use of levosimendan causes a reduction in the tone of resistance vessels during anesthesia, which can require vasopressor support in the postperfusion period; a levosimendan-induced decrease in preload requires infusion correction of relative hypovolemia.