Cardiac toxicity is damage to the heart by harmful chemicals. As part of your treatment, you may be given toxins (drugs) to kill cancer cells. A side effect is that the normal cells in and around your heart can also be killed. Besides cell death, other types of cardiac toxicity from cancer treatment include:
Cardiomyopathy is when heart muscle becomes weakened, enlarged, thickened, or stiff. This can lead to changes in heart rhythm or to heart failure.
Myocarditis is inflammation (swelling) of the heart. This can lead to changes in heart rhythm or heart failure.