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Cardiovascular effects of immunosuppression agents
Aly Elezaby1,2, Ryan Dexheimer1, Karim Sallam1,2
1Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States.
Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine
|October 10, 2022
Summary
Immunosuppressive drugs impact cardiovascular health by affecting the heart and blood vessels. This review details the cardiac and vascular effects of key immunosuppressants like cyclosporine and tacrolimus.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Pharmacology
- Immunology
- Nephrology
Background:
- Immunosuppressive medications are crucial for managing neoplasms, autoimmune diseases, and organ transplants.
- Key drug classes include calcineurin inhibitors, mTOR inhibitors, and purine synthesis inhibitors.
- These agents possess known cardiovascular and vascular effects.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review preclinical and clinical literature on the cardiovascular effects of immunosuppressive agents.
- To focus on specific drugs: cyclosporine, tacrolimus, sirolimus, everolimus, mycophenolate, and azathioprine.
Main Methods:
- Comprehensive literature search of preclinical and clinical studies.
- Analysis of research examining the impact of immunosuppressants on cardiac and vascular systems.
Main Results:
- Immunosuppressants modulate cardiac hypertrophy, mitochondrial function, and arrhythmia risk.
- Vascular effects include alterations in vessel remodeling, lipid profiles, and blood pressure.
- Specific agents like cyclosporine and tacrolimus demonstrate distinct cardiovascular profiles.
Conclusions:
- Immunosuppressive drugs exert significant cardiovascular effects.
- Understanding these effects is vital for patient management in transplantation, autoimmune diseases, and oncology.
- Further research is warranted to optimize cardiovascular safety profiles.
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