Effects of perioperative nesiritide in patients with left ventricular dysfunction undergoing cardiac surgery:the NAPA Trial.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine the role nesiritide might play in patients with left ventricular dysfunction undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) using cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). BACKGROUND: Given the hemodynamic, neurohormonal, and renal effects of natriuretic peptides, nesiritide might be useful in the management of patients undergoing cardiac surgery. METHODS: This prospective, double-blind, exploratory evaluation randomly assigned patients with ejection fraction