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Levosimendan

Klinische Indikationen einer neuen vasoaktiven Substanz

  • Klinische Pharmakologie
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Zusammenfassung

Levosimendan ist eine in Deutschland noch nicht zugelassene Substanz. Die klinischen Einsätze beschränken sich bislang auf ausgewählte Fälle. Zumeist wird es im Rahmen eines Heilversuches bei schwer herzinsuffizienten Patienten als “Inodilatator” angewendet, und zwar erst relativ spät, also in Situationen, in denen die kardiale Insuffizienz bereits stark fortgeschritten ist. Im europäischen Ausland wird Levosimendan bereits erfolgreich klinisch eingesetzt; es ist von der europäischen Gesellschaft für Kardiologie in die Empfehlung zur Behandlung der akuten Herzinsuffizienz aufgenommen worden. Diese kurze Zusammenfassung der wichtigsten Eigenschaften von Levosimendan soll anästhesiologisch und intensivmedizinisch tätigen Ärzten eine Vorstellung von den möglichen Indikationen dieser Substanz geben.

Abstract

Levosimendan is a recently developed drug which is not yet approved for clinical routine use in Germany. The clinical use is limited to a few selected cases and it has been used as a salvage therapy in patients with severe heart insufficiency. As a potent inodilator it has been given to patients with severe heart failure, when all other therapeutic options have failed. However, in some European countries levosimendan is used in clinical routine situations and the European Society of Cardiologists has included the drug in their guidelines for treatment of acute heart failure. The following article describes the main pharmacological characteristics of levosimendan and summarises the indications for this new drug for physicians working in the field of anaesthesia or intensive care.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Klinik für Anästhesiologie und operative Intensivmedizin, Universitätsklinikum Charité, Berlin

    J.-P. Braun, U. Döpfmer, M. Kastrup, W. Kox & C. Spies

  2. Institut für Klinische Pharmakologie, Universitätsklinikum Charité, Berlin

    I. Roots

  3. Klinik für Kardiologie, Universitätsklinikum Charité, Berlin

    A. Borges

  4. Klinik für Kinderkardiologie, Universitätsklinikum Charité, Berlin

    M. Schneider

  5. Klinik für Kardiovaskuläre Chirurgie, Universitätsklinikum Charité, Berlin

    P. Dohmen

  6. Klinik für Anästhesiologie und operative Intensivmedizin, Universitätsklinikum Charité, 10098, Berlin

    J.-P. Braun

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  1. J.-P. Braun
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  2. U. Döpfmer
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  3. M. Kastrup
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Correspondence to J.-P. Braun.

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Braun, JP., Döpfmer, U., Kastrup, M. et al. Levosimendan. Anaesthesist 53, 163–167 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00101-003-0637-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00101-003-0637-1

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