Fig. 3.

Shown is the mean brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) value of 20 infants and children younger than 3 years with left ventricular dilative cardiomyopathy (LV-DCM) and preserved right ventricular ejection fraction (pRV-EF), which were admitted for heart transplantation. The extremely high BNP values at admission decreased significantly [we believe as a consequence of the administered ‘triple therapy’] during the period prior to surgical pulmonary banding (PAB). At admission, all patients had been treated with in some high dosages of furosemide independent of continuously administered inotropic treatment. Furosemide was stopped and bisoprolol (B), lisionopril (L), and spironolactone (S) were started. The goal was to achieve a resting heart rate (HR) of less than 120/min with an adequate systemic blood pressure to sufficient diuresis. The inotropic treatment was continued, but if dobutamine had been part of the pre-admission regiment, it was changed to the inodilator milrinone