Cardiac toxicity

Cardiac toxicity refers to damage to the heart muscle or its function due to exposure to toxic substances. This condition can result from various causes, including certain medications, environmental toxins, and other chemical agents. Cardiac toxicity can lead to serious health issues, including heart failure, arrhythmia, and even death if not properly managed.

Causes

Cardiac toxicity can be caused by a variety of factors, including:

• Chemotherapy drugs: Certain chemotherapy agents, such as doxorubicin and trastuzumab, are known to cause cardiac toxicity. These drugs can damage the heart muscle, leading to cardiomyopathy and heart failure.
• Radiation therapy: Radiation to the chest area can damage the heart and its surrounding structures, leading to cardiac toxicity.
• Environmental toxins: Exposure to heavy metals, such as lead and mercury, and other environmental pollutants can also result in cardiac toxicity.
• Recreational drugs: Substances like cocaine and alcohol can have toxic effects on the heart.

Symptoms

The symptoms of cardiac toxicity can vary depending on the severity and the underlying cause. Common symptoms include:

• Shortness of breath
• Fatigue
• Swelling in the legs and ankles
• Irregular heartbeat
• Chest pain

Diagnosis

Diagnosing cardiac toxicity involves a combination of clinical evaluation and diagnostic tests. These may include:

• Echocardiogram: An ultrasound of the heart to assess its structure and function.
• Electrocardiogram (ECG): A test that records the electrical activity of the heart and can detect arrhythmias.
• Blood tests: To check for markers of heart damage, such as troponin levels.
• Cardiac MRI: Provides detailed images of the heart and can help assess damage.

Treatment

The treatment of cardiac toxicity depends on the underlying cause and the severity of the condition. Options may include:

• Medication adjustment: Reducing the dose or discontinuing the offending drug.
• Heart failure management: Using medications such as ACE inhibitors, beta-blockers, and diuretics to manage symptoms.
• Lifestyle changes: Encouraging a heart-healthy diet, regular exercise, and avoiding alcohol and tobacco.
• Advanced therapies: In severe cases, treatments such as implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) or heart transplantation may be considered.

Prevention

Preventing cardiac toxicity involves careful monitoring and management of risk factors. Strategies include:

• Regular cardiac monitoring for patients receiving potentially cardiotoxic treatments.
• Using the lowest effective dose of cardiotoxic drugs.
• Implementing protective strategies, such as the use of cardioprotective agents.

Also see

• Cardiomyopathy
• Heart failure
• Arrhythmia
• Chemotherapy
• Radiation therapy

Cardiovascular disease A-Z

Most common cardiac diseases

• Cardiac arrhythmia‎
• Cardiogenetic disorders‎
• Cardiomegaly‎
• Cardiomyopathy‎
• Cardiopulmonary resuscitation‎
• Chronic rheumatic heart diseases‎
• Congenital heart defects‎
• Heart neoplasia‎
• Ischemic heart diseases‎
• Pericardial disorders
• Syndromes affecting the heart‎
• Valvular heart disease‎

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

A

• Accelerated idioventricular rhythm
• Acute decompensated heart failure
• Arteriosclerotic heart disease
• Athletic heart syndrome
• Atrial flutter
• Atrioventricular fistula
• Cardiovascular disease in Australia
• Autoimmune heart disease

B

• Brown atrophy of the heart

C

• Ebb Cade
• Cardiac allograft vasculopathy
• Cardiac amyloidosis
• Cardiac asthma
• Cardiac tamponade
• Cardiogenic shock
• Cardiogeriatrics
• Cardiorenal syndrome
• Cardiotoxicity
• Carditis
• Coronary artery aneurysm
• Coronary artery anomaly
• Coronary artery disease
• Spontaneous coronary artery dissection
• Coronary artery ectasia
• Coronary occlusion
• Coronary steal
• Coronary thrombosis
• Coronary vasospasm
• Cœur en sabot
• Coxsackievirus-induced cardiomyopathy

D

• Duke Treadmill Score
• Duroziez's disease

E

• Eisenmenger's syndrome
• Embryocardia
• Endocardial fibroelastosis
• Eosinophilic myocarditis

H

• Heart attack
• Heart failure
• Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction
• Heart to Heart (1949 film)
• High-output heart failure
• Hyperdynamic precordium

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

I

• Idiopathic giant-cell myocarditis
• Interventricular dyssynchrony
• Intraventricular dyssynchrony
• Isolated atrial amyloidosis

K

• Keshan disease

L

• Loeffler endocarditis

M

• Mydicar
• Myocardial bridge
• Myocardial disarray
• Myocardial rupture
• Myocardial scarring
• Myocardial stunning
• Myocarditis

N

• Nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis

O

• OLR1
• Ostial disease

P

• Papillary fibroelastoma
• Pathophysiology of heart failure
• Postpericardiotomy syndrome
• Pulmonary vein stenosis

R

• Right axis deviation
• Roemheld syndrome

S

• Saturated fat and cardiovascular disease
• SCAR-Fc
• Shone's syndrome
• Strain pattern
• Subacute bacterial endocarditis
• Sudden cardiac death of athletes

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

T

• Traumatic cardiac arrest

V

• Ventricular aneurysm
• Vibroacoustic disease
• Viral cardiomyopathy

W

• Waon therapy