Abstract

PARMA, Gabriel; LLUBERAS, Natalia; CASTILLO, Cecilia  and  ORMAECHEA, Gabriela. Chemotherapy agents and cardiotoxicity: a current and user-friendly approach for the clinician, a developing discipline. Arch. Med Int [online]. 2013, vol.35, n.2, pp.38-47. ISSN 0250-3816.

Abstract: Arch Med Interna 2013 - 35(2):37-47 Chemotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity is a frequent and expected adverse effect. In that regard, a new branch of medicine (cardio-oncology) has been created with the key objective of preventing such effects. The form of expression of this phenomenon is varied, and may manifest itself as heart failure, hypertension, acute coronary events and/or rhythm disorders. The key for prevention lies on the individualization of each patient’s cardiotoxic risk (based on well-recognized factors such as age, sex, history of irradiation of the mediastinum, type of drug, accumulated dosage, pre-existing associated heart disease) and the cardiotoxic potential of each chemotherapy agent. In that regard, decision trees have been developed based on the monitoring of patients and the early and timely start of therapy of each effect, preventing further damage in each patient.

Keywords : Cardiotoxicity; Chemotherapy agents; Heart failure; Myocardial ischaemia; Arterial hypertension; Rhythm disorders.

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