Cardiotoxicity

Associate Editor in Chief:

Overview
Cardiotoxicity is the occurrence of heart muscle damage. The heart becomes weaker and is not as efficient in pumping and therefore circulating blood. Cardiotoxicity may be caused by chemotherapy treatment, complications from anorexia nervosa, drugs or chemical toxins.

Cobalt

 * Congestive heart failure

Cocaine

 * Coronary thrombosis
 * Arrhythmias
 * Myocardial infarction
 * Coronary vasoconstriction

Interferon alpha

 * Arrhythmias
 * Dilated cardiomyopathy
 * Congestive heart failure

Interleukin-2

 * Myocardial ischemia
 * Myocardial infarction
 * Arrhythmias
 * Eosinophilic myocarditis

Phenothiazines

 * Electrocardiographic changes
 * Arrhythmias
 * Sudden cardiac death

Emetine

 * Mononuclear and histiocyte infiltration
 * Electrocardiographic abnormalities

Methysergide

 * Left-sided valvular lesions
 * Fibrotic endocardial lesions
 * Fibrotic pericardial lesions
 * Restriction
 * Pericardial constriction

Chloroquine

 * Arrhythmias
 * Cardiac dysfunction

Lithium

 * Arrhythmias
 * Cardiac dilatation with myofibrillar degeneration

Hydrocarbons

 * Electrocardiographic changes
 * Arrhythmias
 * Cardiomegaly

Lead

 * Electrocardiographic changes
 * Arrhythmias
 * Congestive heart failure

Carbon monoxide

 * Arrhythmias
 * Transient biventricular dysfunction

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)

 * Pericardial effusion in chronic exposure
 * Edema PCBs may interfere with tissue permeability or cardiac function or both.

Barbiturates

 * Bradycardia