Introduction:

The use of drugs with cardiotoxic potential to treat coexisting noncardiovascular diseases results in avoidable aggravation.

Objective:

To assess the prescription of 5 cardiotoxic drugs in patients with cardiovascular disease.

Methods:

A cross-sectional descriptive study (framed in the studies of drug utilization) was carried out from March to December 2020 in the Policlínico Santa Cruz (Artemisa, Cuba), in a population of 234 subjects with cardiovascular diseases who had been treated with domperidone, azithromycin, ciprofloxacin, ibuprofen and diclofenac. The variables studied were: sex, age, consumption of cardiotoxic drugs, reason for indication, cardiovascular disease, pharmaceutical form, daily dose, dose interval, and duration of treatment. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed.

Results:

The most prescribed drugs were azithromycin (n= 63), ibuprofen (n= 59) and ciprofloxacin (n= 57). Their main reasons for indication were, respectively, community-acquired pneumonia (38.1%), skin and soft tissue infections (28.8%), and urinary tract infections (43.8%). The main cardiovascular disease was arterial hypertension. For the 5 selected drugs, their therapeutic scheme (pharmaceutical form, daily dose, dose interval and duration of treatment) was reported.

Conclusions:

Although in all cases the reason for indication was adequate, the drugs can be substituted by others of lower cardiovascular risk. For the most part, the therapeutic regimens are correct, except in the cases of domperidone (prolonged duration) and diclofenac (high doses).

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