An Introduction to Chemotherapy-Related Major Complications a Cardiologist Must Face

pp 55-60

Abstract

Many successful chemotherapy schemes are related to cardiac toxic effects, particulary in the long term follow up. A cardiologist assessment is increasingly asked, but the formal training in this particular field is rather poor. As cardiologists working in an Institute with a great number of patients under chemotherapy, we decided to summarize mechanisms of action and adverse effects of different drugs frequently used in oncology, through different case reports of patients who presented serious adverse reactions with dificulties in decision making. General recomendations for prevention, early diagnosis and therapeutic strategies will be discussed.