Pathology of the Cardiovascular System

The cardiovascular system is present throughout the body and is therefore exposed to a wide range of potential toxicants. In preclinical toxicity studies for new compounds, the toxicologic pathologist plays an important role in detecting toxicities in the heart and blood vessels. Numerous compounds are associated with cardiovascular toxicity. Adrenergic and vasodilatory compounds are one such example; dogs are very sensitive to these compounds and develop lesions such as hemorrhage and inflammation in the heart and blood vessels. Some antineoplastic medications, most notably anthracyclines, are toxic to the cardiovascular system. Certain drugs with agonism for the serotonin receptor 5-HT2B are associated with proliferative lesions affecting the heart valves. There are many other mechanisms of cardiovascular toxicity as well.