Antifungal-Associated Drug-Induced Cardiac Disease

The etiology of cardiomyopathies are classified into 4 main groupings (dilated, hypertrophic, restrictive, and idiopathic) and can be mechanistically caused by myocarditis, conduction abnormalities, focal direct injury, or nutritional deficiency. Based on our review of this topic, evidence suggests that echinocandin-related cardiac dysfunction is a mitochondrial drug-induced disease caused by focal direct myocyte injury. With caspofungin or anidulafungin administration into the heart via central line, exposure is likely extreme enough to induce the acute toxicity. Chronic or low-dose exposure may lead to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy; however, only acute exposures have been explored to date.

Source: Clinical Infectious Diseases - November 13, 2015 Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: Cleary, J. D., Stover, K. R. Tags: ADVANCES AND NEW DIRECTIONS FOR ECHINOCANDINS Source Type: research