Iatrogenic Pathology of the Cardiovascular System

This chapter includes a synthesis of data regarding cardiovascular-related lesions induced by medical drugs or radiotherapy, and also relates to the specific injuries that can be caused by diagnostic and/or therapeutic interventions. The effects of chemotherapeutics and non-chemotherapeutic drugs on the myocardium are analyzed in detail, with a focus on anthracycline-induced cardiovascular effects in children. Some of the disorders are illustrated using representative pictures taken during autopsies. Although a common technique, insertion of prosthetic grafts can lead to complications, such as thrombosis, aberrant neointimal hyperplasia or dehiscence. Percutaneous vascular intervention complications can be related to the catheter or to the intervention itself. The differences between in-stent restenosis and postoperative thrombosis are also presented. The final part of this chapter is dedicated to open heart surgical intervention complications.

Keywords: Adverse drug reaction, Anthracyclines, Arrhythmia, Cardiovascular, Hypersensitive cardiomyopathy, Hypovolemia, Myocarditis, Neointimal hyperplasia, Open heart surgery, Percutaneous intervention, Prosthetic graft, Stenosis, Stent, Torsade de pointes, Vasculitis.