A Case of Acute Heart Failure due to Immune Checkpoint Blocker Nivolumab

Abstract

Immune checkpoint inhibitors can be potentially cardiotoxic. It has not been frequently reported in the literature. Cardiomyopathy with these agents can have early onset and may start with non-specific symptoms like fatigue, weakness before presenting with obvious features of acute heart failure. Rapid progression and fulminant course of this disease necessitate high index of clinical suspicion and early diagnosis. High-dose steroids should be instituted early to blunt the immune response against myocardium. Further bigger studies are needed to fully understand the pathogenesis of this condition.




Cardiol Res. 2019;10(2):120-123
doi: https://doi.org/10.14740/cr838