Levosimendan restores both systolic and diastolic cardiac performance in lipopolysaccharide-treated rabbits: Comparison with dobutamine and milrinone

Abstract

Cardiac failure in severe sepsis results from impairments in both systolic and diastolic functions. Treatment with the calcium sensitizer levosimendan improved both systolic and diastolic cardiac functions in septic animals, but cyclic adenosine monophosphate-dependent inotropes milrinone and dobutamine only improved systolic function.