MONDAY, Feb. 12 (HealthDay News) -- The drug nesiritide (trade name Natrecor) may help prevent kidney dysfunction and improve survival in patients who've had coronary artery bypass grafting that requires a cardiopulmonary bypass, according to a new company-funded study.

The study, expected to be published in the Feb. 13 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, included 279 patients with left ventricular dysfunction.

Those who took nesiritide had improved outcomes after their surgery, including shorter hospital stays and a lower death rate after 180 days, compared to patients who received a placebo.

The prospective, multicenter, double-blind phase 2 study was sponsored by Scios Inc, which developed the drug.

"Patients on nesiritide had significantly greater urine output within 24 hours after surgery and overall better preservation of kidney functioning during hospitalization as well as two weeks after surgery," principal investigator Dr. Robert M. Mentzer Jr., dean of the medical school at Wayne State University, senior adviser to the president for medical affairs, and a professor in the division of cardiothoracic surgery, said in a prepared statement.

"We are assessing the design of a phase 3 trial in cardiac surgery patients to further study this investigational use of nesiritide and will be submitting these data to the FDA," Dr. Roger Mills, vice president of medical affairs at Scios, said in a prepared statement.

More information

The American Heart Association has more about heart failure.