Coenzyme Q10: the prophylactic effect on low cardiac output following cardiac valve replacement

A randomized, prospective study of the effectiveness of preoperative administration of coenzyme Q10 on the prophylaxis of postoperative low cardiac output state was performed in 50 patients with acquired valvular diseases necessitating valve replacement. There were 25 patients in the treatment group and 25 in the control group. Patients in the treatment group received 30 to 60 mg of coenzyme Q10 orally for six days before operation. Preoperative clinical variables, operative procedures, total cardiopulmonary bypass time, and aortic cross-clamping time were similar for the two groups. Postoperatively, mild to severe low cardiac output state developed in 28 of 50 patients (56%) and necessitated the administration of considerable amounts of inotropic agent. The treatment group showed a significantly lower incidence of low cardiac output state during the recovery period than the control group (p less than 0.05). These results suggest that preoperative administration of coenzyme Q10 will increase the tolerance of human hearts to ischemia during aortic cross-clamping.