Medical advances have made chemotherapy , radiation therapy and other cancer treatments more effective than ever. However, these treatments can have unwanted side effects. In addition to causing fatigue and hair loss, some cancer treatments can leave you in need of heart and vascular care .

With a few small steps, you can protect your heart before, during and after cancer care .

Connecting Your Heart and Cancer Care

Chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, hormone therapy and targeted therapy can all injure your heart and blood vessels. This heart damage is known as cardiotoxicity. When it occurs, cardiotoxicity can worsen existing heart problems or produce new cardiovascular disease.

Heart problems that may arise due to cancer therapy include:

•       Arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythms)
•       Cardiomyopathy (weakened heart muscle)
•       Heart failure (heart pumps blood inefficiently)
•       Myocardial infarction ( heart attack )
•       Pericarditis or myocarditis (inflammation around or inside the heart)
• Though everyone who undergoes cancer treatment is at risk for cardiotoxicity, most people avoid this potential problem. Your risk increases if you use tobacco or drink alcohol, eat an unhealthy diet or have chronic health conditions, such as diabetes , high blood pressure or high cholesterol .

Watch Your Heart After Cancer Treatment

Throughout your cancer journey, your care team monitors your health for early signs of worsening or developing heart disease. They do this with tests and screenings during and after cancer therapy. Because the American Cancer Society reports that cardiotoxicity can take years to develop, detecting and diagnosing cardiotoxicity may require monitoring for years after your final cancer treatment.

Based on your risks, your care provider may perform one or more of the following:

•        Blood tests. Heart damage increases the level of proteins, such as troponin and brain natriuretic peptide, in your blood. If blood tests detect rising levels of these proteins, additional testing helps confirm the presence of developed heart disease.
•        Cardiac MRI. Strong magnets and radio waves work together to capture detailed images of your cardiovascular system. In some cases, your radiologist may inject a special dye into your body. This dye helps highlight potential areas of concern.
•        Echocardiogram. As with ultrasound, an echocardiogram uses sound waves to capture images of your heart. These images help identify any abnormalities in function or structure that arise after cancer treatment.

Want to protect your heart when fighting cancer cells? You need to keep your heart strong and healthy.

To reduce your risk for heart problems before, during and after chemotherapy and other cancer treatments, get started with these tips.

•        Cultivate good lifestyle habits. By eating a healthy diet, not smoking and getting regular exercise, you strengthen and protect your heart, even if you don’t undergo cancer treatment.
•        Follow your care team’s recommendations. Your cancer journey is unique, so reducing your cardiotoxicity risk may require individualized steps.
•        Manage any pre-existing conditions. Work with your provider to reduce your blood pressure, lower your cholesterol and control your blood sugar.

For expert cancer care that considers your whole health, find a provider at Union Health.