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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 28, 2026

Assessment of Sarcoplasmic Reticulum Calcium Reserve and Intracellular Diastolic Calcium Removal in Isolated Ventricular Cardiomyocytes

Assessment of Sarcoplasmic Reticulum Calcium Reserve and Intracellular Diastolic Calcium Removal in Isolated Ventricular Cardiomyocytes

Published on: September 18, 2017

The calcium sensitizer levosimendan improves human diaphragm function.

Jonne Doorduin¹, Christer A Sinderby, Jennifer Beck

¹Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Department of Critical Care Medicine, Geert Grooteplein zuid 10, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands.

American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine

|October 1, 2011

Summary

Levosimendan improves diaphragm function by enhancing neuromechanical efficiency and preventing contractile loss during loaded breathing. This calcium sensitizer offers a potential new treatment for respiratory muscle weakness.

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Last Updated: May 28, 2026

Assessment of Sarcoplasmic Reticulum Calcium Reserve and Intracellular Diastolic Calcium Removal in Isolated Ventricular Cardiomyocytes

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Published on: September 18, 2017

Assessing Functional Recovery of Eupneic Diaphragm Activity Following Unilateral Cervical Spinal Cord Hemisection in Rats

Assessing Functional Recovery of Eupneic Diaphragm Activity Following Unilateral Cervical Spinal Cord Hemisection in Rats

Published on: June 14, 2024

Area of Science:

Cardiovascular Pharmacology
Respiratory Physiology
Muscle Biology

Background:

Acquired diaphragm weakness is common in chronic diseases like COPD and heart failure.
Current treatments lack drugs to improve respiratory muscle function.
Levosimendan, a calcium sensitizer, previously enhanced isolated diaphragm fiber force.

Purpose of the Study:

To evaluate the in vivo effects of levosimendan on human diaphragm function.
To assess levosimendan's impact on diaphragm contractility and neuromechanical efficiency.

Main Methods:

Double-blind, randomized, crossover study with 30 healthy subjects.
Levosimendan or placebo administered after inspiratory loading.
Measured transdiaphragmatic pressure, diaphragm electrical activity, and neuromechanical efficiency.
Assessed twitch contractility and muscle fiber conduction velocity via magnetic phrenic nerve stimulation.

Main Results:

Levosimendan prevented the 9% loss of diaphragm twitch contractility seen in the placebo group.
Diaphragm neuromechanical efficiency improved by 21% with levosimendan.
Baseline diaphragm electrical activity center frequency decreased post-levosimendan.

Conclusions:

Levosimendan enhances human diaphragm neuromechanical efficiency and contractile function.
This suggests levosimendan as a novel therapeutic strategy for respiratory failure.
Improves respiratory muscle function in patients with diaphragm weakness.