cardiotoxicity
Meaning of cardiotoxicity: Cardiotoxicity is heart damage or dysfunction caused by exposure to a medication or other substance, sometimes appearing only after treatment ends.
Definition of cardiotoxicity
Cardiotoxicity is damage or impaired function of the heart caused by exposure to a medication, chemical, or other substance. It is a recognized concern with certain cancer treatments, including some chemotherapy drugs and targeted therapies, as well as with a smaller number of other medications and toxic exposures.
Cardiotoxicity can appear as a change in the heart's pumping ability, an abnormal heart rhythm, or other structural or functional changes, and the effect can develop during treatment, shortly afterward, or, in some cases, years later. Because of this risk, certain treatments known to carry cardiotoxic potential are accompanied by monitoring of heart function before, during, and sometimes after treatment.
The likelihood and severity of cardiotoxicity from a given treatment can depend on the specific drug, the total dose received, and other individual risk factors, including pre-existing heart conditions.
Used in a sentence
Echocardiography was performed to monitor for cardiotoxicity during the course of chemotherapy.
Good to know
Cardiotoxicity from certain treatments can appear well after treatment has ended, which is why heart function monitoring for some therapies continues beyond the treatment period itself.
Word origin
Where “cardiotoxicity” comes from
Formed from cardio-, from Greek kardia, meaning "heart," combined with toxicity, from Greek toxikon, meaning "poison."