[Chemotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity in the elderly]

Chemotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity can concern major effects, inducing severe impairments of vital functions: systolic or diastolic function, hypertension, rhythmic or conducting pathology, Elsewhere, cardiac and vascular aging induces alterations, which concern roughly the same points and are enhanced by vascular risk factors. We wish to analyse the correlation and increase of the consequences of the first one toward the second one and the safe attitude we must have for those patients (prevention and early treatment). Echocardiography seems to have more and more a major status to assess cardiac function, chiefly in systolic and diastolic manor. We insist on the interest of stress echo for assessment of impaired contractility and for evaluation of vascular risk in ischemic disease. We suggest a vulnerability score to predict the risk of complication due to chemotherapy.