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Gadolinium Side Effects on Heart

The United States Food and Drug Administration issued a black box warning for gadolinium in 2007 because of the potential for serious side effects. The substance is used as a contrast agent in magnetic resonance imaging, and is injected into people as a dye. Gadolinium side effects on the heart are a complication from gadolinium-induced kidney disease.

  1. Most Common Side Effects

    • Gadolinium side effects can include facial swelling, skin rashes, low blood pressure, headache, nausea and light-headedness.

    Warning

    • A rare but serious complication can occur in people with impaired kidney function, when the kidneys have trouble eliminating all the dye from the body. This disorder is called nephrogenic systemic fibrosis/nephrogenic fibrosing dermopathy, and was first identified in 1997, according to the FDA.

    Severe Symptoms

    • Symptoms of NSF/NFD as listed by the FDA include hard, shiny and unusually dark skin that becomes tight and very painful. There also can be joint pain and inflexibility, loss of motion, yellowish eyes, and damage to the lungs, heart and other organs.

    Function Breakdown

    • When the heart and other organs are affected by this disorder, they thicken and scar and cannot function effectively.

    Progression

    • Damage to the lungs and heart can cause severe, sometimes fatal, breathing difficulties.

    No Available Treatment

    • As of 2009, no effective treatment for NSF/NFD has been developed. Numerous afflicted people have filed lawsuits against the producers of gadolinium for MRIs, as well as other contrast substances associated with the disorder, according to the NSF organizational website.

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