Coronary Artery Disease

Mercuro, Giuseppe;Dessalvi, Christian Cadeddu

;Deidda, Martino;Stöbe, Stephan;Hagendorff, Andreas

2019-01-01

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Abstract

Cardiovascular complications during chemotherapy and radiotherapy are becoming an increasing problem because many patients with cancer are treated with agents that exert significant vascular toxicity. Coronary heart disease in patients with cancer presents particular challenges, which directly impact the management of both the coronary disease and malignancy. Several chemotherapeutic agents have been shown to trigger ischemic heart disease, and as it has happened for myocardial cardiotoxicity, more attention should be dedicated to improving early recognition and prevention of cardiovascular toxicity. Cardiac imaging could facilitate early detection of vascular toxicity, but a thorough risk stratification should always be performed to identify patients at higher risk of vascular impairment.