How can cardiotoxicity be prevented?
How can cardiotoxicity be prevented?
Before treatmentIt is important to ask yourself 2 questions:
- Do you have a history of heart disease?
- Do you have risk factors for heart disease?
Next, ask your doctor the following 3 questions:
- Does my treatment plan put me at risk for future heart damage (is it cardio-toxic)?
- Do you do use special testing to screen for heart problems before, during and after treatment?
- Will my treatment involve radiation treatment to the chest?
Cancer patients who are to receive potentially cardiotoxic therapy should have a complete physical and cardiac evaluation before starting cancer treatment. This evaluation can help the doctors identify patients who are at risk for cardiotoxicity and take measures to minimize the patient’s risk . It should include:
- Personal medical history
- Family medical history
- Thorough cardiovascular physical examination
- Tests of heart function including echocardiography and measurement of global strain
Global strain is a new measurement of how the heart muscle functions and is determined by echocardiography with specialized computer technology. It allows for a more accurate assessment of changes to heart function due to potentially cardiotoxic treatments.