Introduction: Cardiac toxicity induced by chemotherapy in patients with various malignancies can lead to serious cardiovascular complications that are harmful to the patient.
Goal: Determination of cardiovascular complications of chemotherapy
Method: Study and research on internet and review of literature
Introducing the problem: Cardiovascular complications of chemotherapy induced cardiac toxicity are due to administration of chemotherapy drugs will be created. Cardiac toxicity induced by chemotherapy can be asymptomatic or may manifest as transient arrhythmias to fatal cardiomyopathy resulting from permanent left ventricular dysfunction and may occur acutely during treatment or years later and varies for different chemotherapy drugs. Some of these Cardiac complications are include Angina, arrhythmias, cardiogenic shock, cardiomyopathy, deep venous thromboembolism, edema, effusion, endomyocardial fibrosis, heart block, hypertension and hypotension, ischemia/infarction, left ventricular dysfunction, myocarditis/ pericarditis, possible cardiac toxicity and vasospasm. The signs and symptoms of cardiotoxicity vary widely. Signs of cardiac dysfunction may include changes in blood pressure or heart rate, irregular heart rhythms, murmurs, carotid bruits, distended jugular veins, decreased pulses, edema, and changes in skin color. The most common symptoms of cardiac problems associated with cardiotoxicity are pain, dyspnea, weight gain, edema, weakness, fatigue, palpitations, dizziness, syncope and swelling of an extremity with deep venous thromboembolism.
Conclusion: Patients with cardiovascular complications of chemotherapy and their family members should be educated about the signs and symptoms of cardiotoxicities and they should notify health care personnel when signs or symptoms of these conditions occur.