Table 1 Exclusion criteria

Preoperative renal failure (creatinine clearance < 30 ml/min)

Liver failure (prothrombine time < 50 %, in the absence of vitamin K antagonist

Cardiac surgery without CABG

Pregnancy

Emergency surgery, defined as surgery within the 24 h of the operative indication

Known allergy to levosimendan

Severe hypotension prior to surgery (mean arterial pressure < 60 mmHg)

Severe tachycardia prior to surgery (heart rate > 120 bpm)

Prior history of torsade de pointe

Dynamic obstruction of the left ventricular outflow tract

Lack of signed informed consent

Lack of affiliation to social security

Patient already involved in another trial