title: Congestive heart failure during imatinib mesylate treatment.
abstract: Imatinib mesylate (IM) is a very important drug in the treatment of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) and chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML). In large clinical trials conducted until now it demonstrated a good cardiac safety profile. However during the last years many reports indicated a possible IM-induced cardiotoxicity. Here we report a case of a patient with a GIST who developed a severe and irreversible cardiac failure during IM treatment. Interestingly, she suffered from chronic renal failure, a condition that does not contraindicate treatment. Our opinion is that IM-induced cardiotoxicity could be facilitated by the presence of relevant comorbidities such as pre-existing cardiovascular disease or renal failure, commonly present in daily practice but excluded from clinical trials. Phase IV studies are needed to address the question of the real incidence of IM-induced cardiotoxicity in the general population.
authors: Gina
authors: G
authors: Turrisi
authors: Francesco
authors: F
authors: Montagnani
authors: Simone
authors: S
authors: Grotti
authors: Claudio
authors: C
authors: Marinozzi
authors: Leonardo
authors: L
authors: Bolognese
authors: Giammaria
authors: G
authors: Fiorentini
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001549:Benzamides; D005260:Female; D046152:Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate; D010879:Piperazines / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D001549:Benzamides; D010879:Piperazines; D011743:Pyrimidines; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate