Levosimendan improves contractility in vivo and in vitro in a rodent model of post-myocardial infarction heart failure

Aim As few studies have presented a thorough analysis of the effect of levosimendan (LEV) on contractility, our purpose was to investigate in vivo cardiac function as well as in vitro cardiomyocyte function and calcium (Ca2+) handling following LEV treatment. Methods Rats with post‐myocardial infarction heart failure (HF) induced by ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery and sham‐operated animals were randomized to the infusion of LEV (2.4 μg kg−1 min−1) or vehicle for 40 min. Echocardiographic examination was coupled to pressure‐volume sampling in the left ventricle before (B) and after (40 min) infusion. Isolated left ventricular cardiomyocytes were studied in an epifluorescence microscope. Results HF LEV (n = 6), HF vehicle (n = 7), sham LEV (n = 5) and sham vehicle (n = 6) animals were included. LEV infusion compared to vehicle in HF animals reduced left ventricular end‐diastolic pressure and mean arterial pressure (both P