Potential Therapeutic Strategies for Hypertension-Exacerbated Cardiotoxicity of Anticancer Drugs

Table 1

Comparative summary of prohypertensive effects of anticancer chemotherapeutic drugs and the adjunvants commonly used in cancer patients.

Class of drugs	Typical drugs	Potential mechanisms for the prohypertensive effects	Representative references
Anthracyclines	Doxorubicin, daunorubicin, epirubicin, and idarubicin	Oxidative stress and apoptotic/fibrotic and inflammatory changes in vascular wall; endothelial dysfunction	[12–17]
VEGF inhibitors	Bevacizumab and vandetanib	Endothelial dysfunction; reduced nitric oxide bioavailability; increased endothelin production	[18, 19]
Tyrosine kinase inbibitors	Sunitinib, sorabenib, and pazopanib	Endothelial dysfunction; reduced nitric oxide bioavailability; vascular rarefaction; hypothyroidism	[20–22]
Alkylating agents	Cyclophosphamide and cisplatin	Endothelial dysfunction; arterial vasoconstriction; renal and vascular damage	[23, 24]
Glucocorticoids	Dexamethasone	Salt and fluid retention	[25, 26]
Erythropoietin	rhuEPO	Increase in erythrocyte mass and blood viscosity; direct vasopressor effect	[27–29]

VEGF: vascular endothelial growth factor; rhuEPO: recombinant human erythropoietin.