[Long-term therapy of tumor patients. Secondary cardiomyopathies (author's transl)]

Secondary cardiomyopathies may necessitate limitation of planned cytostatic or other drug therapy in tumor patients. Highly active cytostatics such as adriamycin, cyclophosphamide, ifosfamide, tricyclic antidepressants, beta-receptor blockers, antiarrhythmic substances may be mentioned among others. These noxae have a particularly harmful effect when secondary myocardial diseases of different etiology are present. A variety of different methods are available for the earliest possible detection of a secondary cardiomyopathy. Should functional disorders of the heart appear during longterm therapy it will be necessary to find out in the individual case what modifications of treatment are advisable, taking into account the benefits and risks.