Levosimendan and Weaning From VA-ECMO

Venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) is increasingly used to treat patients with cardiogenic shock, a life-threatening condition with persistently high mortality rates. However, patients receiving VA-ECMO are at risk of major complications, including acute limb ischemia, infection, bleeding, thromboembolic events, and stroke; thus, it would be advantageous if a therapy allowed more rapid weaning and liberation from the VA-ECMO circuit.