Preparing Your Patient for Chemotherapy

Patients diagnosed with AML represent a unique emergency given the high possibility of organ compromise created by unrestricted acute myeloid proliferation. It is recognized that younger AML patients can present with highly proliferative disease resulting in acute thrombo-hemorrhagic and metabolic complications. Paradoxically, older patients may exhibit cytopenias causing life-threatening bleeding and overwhelming infections. In this chapter, we describe frequently observed complications in AML patients to illustrate clinical presentation prior and after initiating therapy. Additionally, we summarize important supportive care and therapeutic interventions recommended for management.