Cardiovascular Adverse Effects of Common Non-Oncologic Medications: From Mechanisms to Clinical Management

Cardiovascular adverse effects of drugs has significant practical implications for patient management. While cardiovascular adverse effects have commonly been associated with oncologic therapeutics, a growing body of evidence suggests that non-oncologic medications can also be associated with significant cardiovascular harm. These adverse effects range from arrhythmias, conduction abnormalities, QT prolongation, heart failure, myocardial infarction, or structural cardiomyopathy. Non-oncologic drugs that have been implicated include antibiotics (e.g., macrolides, fluoroquinolones), antidiabetics (e.g., thiazolidinediones), non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), drugs for gastrointestinal and urological conditions, and most importantly, cardiovascular drugs. In this narrative review, we focus on the most common non-oncologic drugs that cause cardiovascular adverse effects, their proposed underlying mechanisms with particular emphasis on their clinical manifestations and clinical implications for everyday cardiovascular practice.