How Does 'Levosimendan' Treat Left Bundle Branch Block?

Posted on Sun, 29 Dec 2013

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Sun, 29 Dec 2013 Answered on

Mon, 20 Jan 2014 Last reviewed on

Question : I am a patient with a condition called Left Bundle Block. A relatvely new drug was used to treat my condition with promising sucess called Levosimendan at the American Hospital in Paris It is hoped That further treatment with Levosimendan may help me avoid resorting to a pacemaker type implant. The medication is only begining to betried in the U.S. and is not widly available here yet. Would a course of treatment with Levosimendan be available In Thailand or an other country with medical tourism ?

Answered by Dr. Prabhakar C Koregol (25 minutes later)

Brief Answer: It seems like you have not got few facts right Detailed Answer: Dear XXXX, Thanks for query. But for me it looks like you have not completely got what your doctor has explained. Let me try and discuss few things 1. LBBB is not a condition or Disease and it is only ECG finding. 2. Going by the treatment plan and your response to therapy it looks like you are suffering from dilated cardiomyopathy and decompensated Heart failure which is now stabilised. 3. Levosimendon is drug belonging to class called Calcium sensitsor and effectively it is known to improve the efficincy of the heart to an extent but acutely. 4. CRT or cardiac resynchronisation therapy is the form of therapy is what you are talking as pacemaker treatment. Yes there are many medicnes which can help you at this stage but there is no much data on it being prevented by Levosimendon but class of drugs called ACE inhibitors and Beta blockers are known to delay progression need for CRT. Hope you are already on it. Regarding availability of Levosimendon in Thailand I am not sure but its available in India

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vaishalee Punj