Cardiovascular Toxicity : Incidence, Pathogenesis and Treatment Strategies

The cardiovascular system is vital for human well-being, playing key roles in thermoregulation, nutrient transport, fluid balance, and protection from infection. Cardiovascular diseases are leading causes of morbidity and mortality. Pharmaceuticals, illicit drugs, toxins, and environmental factors can induce cardiovascular toxicity, causing structural changes and impairing blood flow. Co-morbidities like diabetes and obesity, along with epigenetic factors and infections, further enhance cardiovascular toxicity. Understanding these factors and developing better therapeutic approaches is crucial.

New drugs and vaccines have improved disease treatment, but they can also induce adverse effects by affecting the endothelium, coagulation factors, platelet activation, oxidative stress, inflammation, baroreceptors, autonomic cardiovascular control, and electrophysiology. This issue has been overlooked for a long time but is now gaining attention. Expanding knowledge to the general population and health practitioners, increasing research activities, and developing better preventive and treatment strategies are essential.

Cardiovascular adverse effects can be induced by various drug classes used in cancer treatment, infections, and other disorders. Understanding the mechanisms of cardiovascular toxicity and prevention methods is critical. This book, with 40 chapters contributed by distinguished scientists, explores these issues, highlighting knowledge gaps, future directions, and key points. Understanding the biological complexity and interactions between genetic and environmental factors is crucial for developing better therapeutic approaches.

Dr. Devendra K. Agrawal holds multiple advanced degrees, including MSc, PhDs in Biochemistry and Medical Sciences, MBA, and MS in IT & Management. He has held various academic roles such as Clinical Biochemist, Professor, Founding Chairman of Clinical & Translational Science, Senior Associate Dean, and Senior VP for Research and Biotechnology. Currently, he is Professor and Director at Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, CA, USA. Dr. Agrawal is a member of Alpha Omega Alpha honor medical society and a Fellow of AAAAI, AHA, APS, and IACS. He has received numerous awards, including Distinguished Research Career Award and Distinguished Mentor Award. He has served on many national and international grant review panels and editorial boards, so far published over 580 peer-reviewed research articles, many book chapters, and co-edited several books. His research focuses on coronary and carotid artery disease, stem cell therapy, and more. Dr. Agrawal has trained in biomedical research over 250 medical students, 74 graduate students (MD-PhD, PhD, and MS students), 72 post-doctoral fellows, and 15 assistant professors. He is dedicated to mentoring the next generation of researchers.

Dr. Ranko Skrbic graduated in 1986 with an MD from the University of Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and earned an MSc in 1991 from Zagreb University, Croatia. He spent a year at Shinshu University, Japan, studying cardiovascular pharmacology. He received his PhD in 1994 from Belgrade University, Serbia, and a Clinical Pharmacology Specialist degree in 2000 from Novi Sad University, Serbia. Dr. Skrbic has held various academic and professional positions, including Professor of Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Clinical Pharmacology since 2009, and Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Banja Luka since 2016. He has organized several international conferences and is a member of numerous professional societies. Dr. Skrbic founded the Centre for Biomedical Research in 2018 and has published over 120 peer-reviewed articles. He has received several awards, including the IACS Lifetime Achievement Award in Cardiovascular Science, Medicine, and Surgery in 2021.

Dr. Milos P. Stojiljkovic holds MSc and PhD degrees and is an experienced biomedical researcher. He has served in various roles, including Clinical Pharmacologist, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Full Professor of Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Clinical Pharmacology, and Vice-Dean for Scientific Research. Currently, he is Professor and Director of the PhD Programme at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Banja Luka. Dr. Stojiljkovic was a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Medical University of South Carolina and is a Fellow of the International Academy of Cardiovascular Sciences (IACS) and member of several scientific societies. He has received numerous awards, including publication rewards from the Faculty of Medicine, University of Banja Luka, and Distinguished Leadership Award from the IACS. He has been an invited speaker at many scientific meetings and serves as Editor-in-Chief of Scripta Medica and Associate Editor of Drug and Chemical Toxicology and Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry. Dr. Stojiljkovic has published over 200 research articles and book chapters. His research focuses on toxicology of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, influence of lipids on blood pressure, and cardioprotection. He has been teaching for 37 years and is dedicated to mentoring younger researchers.

Dr. Dragan M. Djuric earned his MD in 1987, MS in 1991, PhD in 1993, and Clinical Physiologist degree in 2007, all from the University of Belgrade. He completed postdoctoral training in Germany and the USA. He has held various academic positions, including Director and Chair at the Institute of Medical Physiology, and Founder and Chair of the PhD Program in Physiological Sciences. Currently, he is a Professor at the University of Belgrade and Visiting Professor at the University of Banja Luka. Dr. Djuric is a Fellow of IACS and IUPS Academy of Physiology. He has received numerous awards, including the Naranjan Dhalla Award for Innovative Investigators in Cardiovascular Sciences (2024) and the Lifetime Achievement Award in Cardiovascular Science, Medicine, and Surgery (2015). He has published over 300 research articles and book chapters, edited/co-edited several books, and served on editorial boards and grant review panels. His research focuses on cardiovascular research, cardioprotection, endothelial dysfunction, and environmental factors in cardiovascular diseases. Dr. Djuric has trained over 30 medical students and supervised 20 graduate students. His research projects are funded by the National Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development and EU COST.