Levosimendan in Congenitally Corrected Transposition of the Great Arteries: A Case Report

Abstract

We present a case of acute decompensated heart failure in a patient with congenitally corrected transposition of great arteries treated with levosimendan, an agent with positive inotropic and vasodilatory effects. Levosimendan infusion resulted in symptomatic and functional improvement, improvement of the subpulmonary left ventricular systolic function and amelioration of the diastolic but not the systolic function of the systemic right ventricle. A number of factors may account for the poor response of the systemic right ventricle to levosimendan, such as altered myofibrillar structure and coronary flow together with the particular loading conditions of the systemic right ventricle.