Application of Echocardiography in the Early Detection of Cardiotoxicity by Chemotherapy

Abstract

The cardiotoxicity produced by chemotherapeutic agents, mainly to treat breast cancer, presents a significant incidence, often requiring specific treatment and / or forcing the reduction or suspension of the chemotherapeutic treatment. Cardiotoxicity is characterized by causing cell damage, reversible or not, leading to heart failure. The main indicators of these alterations can be detected by conventional echocardiography, through the left ventricular ejection fraction and techniques that evaluate myocardial deformation, such as the global longitudinal strain, which are now considered essential markers for this analysis. The cardiotoxicity produced by anthracyclines, monoclonal antibodies and their association is analyzed, the latter showing an alarming incidence, mainly in elderly patients.