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Adjunctive Cilostazol Therapy for Sinus Node Dysfunction After Heart Transplantation
Kento Tamano1, Sakae Takenaka1, Toshiyuki Nagai1
1Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan.
Insights
Cilostazol, a phosphodiesterase-3 inhibitor, may help manage severe sinus node dysfunction (SND) in heart transplant patients. This case study shows it improved heart rate and function without adverse events, potentially avoiding pacemaker implantation.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Sinus node dysfunction (SND) management after heart transplantation (HTx) is not well-established.
- Phosphodiesterase-3 inhibitors like cilostazol have not been evaluated for this indication.
Background:
Adjunctive therapy with cilostazol, a phosphodiesterase-3 inhibitor, for sinus node dysfunction (SND) after heart transplantation (HTx) remains unestablished.
Case Summary:
We report the case of a 33-year-old woman who developed an atrioventricular junctional rhythm after HTx. Her SND had persisted for more than 3 weeks post-HTx despite treatment with positive chronotropic agents, including isoproterenol and tulobuterol. After the initiation of off-label cilostazol, her heart rate gradually increased. She was discharged without requiring permanent pacemaker implantation.
Discussion:
This is the first reported case describing the addition of cilostazol to a nonselective β-agonist and a β2-adrenergic agonist in a patient with atrioventricular junctional rhythm after HTx. In our case, the addition of cilostazol appeared to improve right ventricular function and cardiac index by increasing the heart rate without adverse events.
Take-Home Message:
Cilostazol may represent an adjunctive option for managing severe SND in heart transplant recipients.
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