Carvedilol administration significantly reduced strain and strain-rate parameter reductions compared to placebo in patients receiving doxorubicin, indicating cardioprotective effects.
Does carvedilol prevent doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity as measured by left ventricular strain and ejection fraction in female patients with breast cancer?
Prophylactic administration of carvedilol 6.25 mg daily during doxorubicin chemotherapy preserves left ventricular strain and strain rate in female breast cancer patients, indicating a protective effect against cardiotoxicity.
Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate the preventive effects of carvedilol on doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity. Methods: In this trial, 70 female patients with breast cancer who were candidates to receive doxorubicin were enrolled, from which 30 were selected randomly to receive carvedilol 6.25 mg daily during chemotherapy, with the rest receiving placebo as the control group. Both groups were evaluated 1 week before and 1 week after chemotherapy by measuring the left ventricular ejection fraction and strain/strain rate. Results: Data analysis showed that the case group presented no significant reduction in strain and strain-rate parameters after intervention, while there was a significant reduction in these parameters in the control group (all p values Conclusion: This study shows that carvedilol can prevent doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity. Whether this prophylaxis should be considered as the preferred method needs further investigation.
Beheshti et al. (2016) studied this question. Carvedilol administration significantly reduced strain and strain-rate parameter reductions compared to placebo in patients receiving doxorubicin, indicating cardioprotective effects.