If you are a Cancer Survivor and have endured chemotherapy, it is imperative you pay attention to your heart!! As a Cancer Survivor who had a heart attack during chemotherapy and permanent heart valve damage due to Herceptin, a breast cancer drug, it is a passion of mine to warn other cancer patients/survivors about heart issues.
Many major cancer hospitals now have a Onco Cardiologist on staff – a Cardiologist who only sees cancer patients and survivors to deal with their heart issues due to strong chemotherapy drugs. My sister, a breast cancer survivor who completed chemotherapy 18 months ago, recently saw this type of specialist because ever since chemotherapy she has Tachycardia which is a fast heart rate of anywhere from 100 to 120 beats per minute. My sister’s heart rate prior to chemo was in the 70s. Adriamycin Cytoxan Chemo is known to cause Tachycardia. I also had Tachycardia post chemo and have been on medication for 4 years.
I accompanied my sister to this appointment to support her and because I wanted to know more about this field of cardiology. Her Onco Cardiologist said because so many cancer survivors are living longer lives, the heart is now a major issue. Many cancer survivors have no idea they have heart issues or are at such high risk.
According to M. D. Anderson, the #1 Cancer Center in the United States, Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in cancer survivors, which in 2016 included 15.5 million Americans. In fact, the risk of CVD in cancer survivors is 8 times higher than in the general population. There is evidence of heart and blood vessel damage in 50% of cancer survivors 5 years after chemotherapy.
From my experience and my sister’s experience, I think every cancer survivor who had chemotherapy should be checked by a Cardiologist! Please, have a heart checkup!
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Denise: Even if you have not had chemo, radiation can also cause heart damage and contribute to a heart attack. Mary
On Tue, Apr 11, 2017 at 12:17 PM, denise4health & hello COURAGE wrote:
> Denise McCroskey posted: “If you are a Cancer Survivor and have endured > chemotherapy, it is imperative you pay attention to your heart!! As a > Cancer Survivor who had a heart attack during chemotherapy and permanent > heart valve damage due to Herceptin, a breast cancer drug, it is ” >
Absolutely, Mary! Radiation – especially on left breast cancer can cause much heart damage!
Thanks for mentioning this!
Thanks to your posts about this, and also to a nurse-navigator who told me when my treatment was over to consult a cardiologist (of my many doctors and at least three other nurse navigators who worked with me, this was the only person who mentioned possible future heart problems), I did see a cardiologist a couple of months ago to get good baseline numbers. I’m supposed to come in every year to re-check and sooner if I have problems.
Pam, so glad someone is pointing people in the right direction. And glad you got those baseline numbers!! I truly wish everyone who had cancer treatment would do that so there is comparison numbers!! Thankful yours are okay now!
Great info! May I share?
Absolutely!