Common heart failure drug reduces risk of chemotherapy-induced heart damage in cancer patients

A commonly prescribed medication for heart failure was linked to a lower risk of heart damage, or cardiotoxicity, among high-risk cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment using anthracyclines, according to preliminary late-breaking science presented today at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2024. The meeting, Nov. 16-18, 2024, in Chicago, is a premier global exchange of the latest scientific advancements, research and evidence-based clinical practice updates in cardiovascular science.

We have identified a promising new strategy for protecting the heart during cancer treatment, with the potential to impact patient care significantly and future research in heart disease and cancer. Importantly, our strategy enables early identification of people at high risk for developing heart dysfunction, allowing for timely interventions to prevent further loss of heart function."

Marcely Bonatto, M.D.,study lead author,cardiologist and specialist in heart failure and heart transplantation at the Heart Institute, University of São Paulo in Curitiba, Brazil

Heart failure occurs when damage prevents the heart from pumping blood well enough to supply the body with blood and nutrients. Anthracyclines are a class of chemotherapy medications used to treat many types of cancer, including breast cancer, leukemia, lymphoma and sarcoma. However, one of their potential side effects iscardiomyopathy, a disease of the heart muscle that makes it harder for the heart to pump blood to the rest of the body. Cardiomyopathy is a form of cardiotoxicity that refers to heart damage caused by cancer treatments involving chemotherapy.

The SARAH clinical trial examined the effects of the heart-failure medication sacubitril-valsartan, an angiotensin receptor neprilysin inhibitor or ARNI, on preventing further heart damage among 114 patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment with anthracyclines for breast cancer, lymphoma, sarcoma or leukemia.