Pharmacovigilance in Cardiology: A Review of Adverse Drug Reactions in Practice

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) continue to be the major cause of death worldwide, affecting an estimated 640 million people as of 2021. Treatment success comes a new challenge, a growing population of people living longer with chronic heart issues, often taking multiple medications at once. This makes them more likely to experience adverse drug reactions (ADRs), especially as their health becomes more complex. Pharmacovigilance plays a crucial role here. According to the World Health Organization, it’s the ongoing science and practice of spotting, understanding, and preventing harmful or unexpected effects from medications. Pharmacovigilance fills in the gaps through real-world monitoring. This review explains side effects tied to commonly used heart drugs, based on research from the last five years. It aims to help clinicians better understand these risks and guide safer prescribing. Some key findings include: bleeding risks with antithrombotics, shifts in electrolyte levels with diuretics and drugs that target the renin-angiotensin system, and organ damage like lung scarring or liver injury with drugs such as amiodarone and statins. Looking forward, improving drug safety will require stronger reporting systems, better training for healthcare professionals, more advanced tools for analyzing risks, and broader international cooperation.