Very high single doses of epirubicin may be expected to cause acute myocardial degeneration within 24 hours and severe myelosuppression within 10-14 days. Treatment should aim to support the patient during this period and should utilise such measures as blood transfusion and reverse barrier nursing. Delayed cardiac failure has been seen with the anthracyclines up to 6 months after the overdose. Patients should be observed carefully and should, if signs of cardiac failure arise, be treated along conventional lines.