Abstract

ALARCON, Liliana; ESPER, Jhonatan; ALZATE, Fabián  and  INSUASTY E, Jesús S. Induced cardiomiopathy by anthracyclines in patients treated for breast cancer. Medicas UIS [online]. 2012, vol.25, n.3, pp.265-272. ISSN 0121-0319.

Anthracyclines are chemotherapeutic agents that were considered the cornerstone for multiple chemotherapy regimes. Despite being an encouraging treatment, it faces several side-effects, some of the more prominent are heart condition characterized by arrhythmogenic, cardiac ischemic events, cardiomyopathy and cardiac failure; these side-effects diminish the patient´s quality of life and in more severe cases it can lead to fatal cardiotoxicity. The objective of the present article is to emphasize on the possible side-effects that oncologic patients may present when using anthracyclines as oncologic agents. For that purpose the descriptions of two patients with breast cancer are presented, where the side effect presented is cardiotoxicity secondary to the use of anthracyclines; such cases stress the need for a complete, integral and multidisciplinary management. In addition to this, literature was revised making emphasis on pathophysiological mechanisms, clinical presentation, early detection, and the therapy for the side-effect previously mentioned. (MÉD.UIS. 2012;25(3):265-72).

Keywords : Anthracyclines; Breast Neoplasms; Cardiomyopathies.

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