Side Effect: Atrial Fibrillation

What is Atrial Fibrillation?

What does Atrial Fibrillation look like?

Symptoms of AFib can include:

Some people with AFib may not experience any symptoms at all. To determine if you have AFib, your doctor will order a non-invasive test called an electrocardiogram (also known as an ECG or EKG) to measure the electrical signals from your heart.

Atrial Fibrillation


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Who gets Atrial Fibrillation?

The following chemotherapy agents are also known to increase the risk of AFib:

How to prevent Atrial Fibrillation

How to treat Atrial Fibrillation

Treatment for AFib may depend on the type and stage of cancer, as well as your overall health status. Options may include medications such as:

These medications are intended to reduce the risk of blood clots by restoring your heart’s ability to pump blood more effectively. Importantly, these medictions may interact with other medications you are taking so ask a pharmacist before you start them to reduce the risk of side effects.

References

1. Asnani A, Manning A, Mansour M, et al. Management of atrial fibrillation in patients taking targeted cancer therapies. Cardiooncology. 2017 Mar 9;3:2.

2. Kumar M, Lopetegui-Lia N, Malouf CA, Almnajam M, Coll PP, Kim AS. Atrial fibrillation in older adults with cancer. J Geriatr Cardiol. 2022 Jan 28;19(1):1-8.

3. Hajjar LA, Fonseca SMR, Machado TIV. Atrial Fibrillation and Cancer. Front Cardiovasc Med. 2021 Jul 15;8:590768.

4. Yun JP, Choi EK, Han KD, Park SH, Jung JH, Park SH, Ahn HJ, Lim JH, Lee SR, Oh S. Risk of Atrial Fibrillation According to Cancer Type: A Nationwide Population-Based Study. JACC CardioOncol. 2021 Jun 15;3(2):221-232.

Created: April 3, 2024 Updated: April 3, 2024