Holter monitoring demonstrates that ventricular arrhythmias are common in cats with decompensated and compensated hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

Publication date: Available online 12 November 2018Source: The Veterinary JournalAuthor(s): U. Bartoszuk, B.W. Keene, M.B. Toaldo, N. Pereira, N. Summerfield, J.N. Matos, T.M. GlausAbstractArrhythmias can complicate cardiac disease in cats and are a potential cause of sudden death. The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence and nature of cardiac arrhythmias, and the potential correlation between plasma serum troponin I (cTnI) concentrations and the presence or severity of arrhythmias in cats with decompensated (dHCM) and compensated hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (cHCM). Forty one client-owned cats were studied: 16 with cHCM, 15 with dHCM and 10 healthy control cats. Physical examination, echocardiography, cTnI and 24-h Holter recordings were obtained in all cats and thoracic radiographs in cats with dHCM. Cats in both HCM groups were followed for 1 year after their initial Holter examination.The median (range) number of ventricular premature complexes (VPCs) over 24 h was 867 (1-35,160) in cats with dHCM, 431 (0-18,919) in cats with cHCM and 2 (0-13) in healthy control cats. The median number of episodes of ventricular tachycardia (VTach) was 0 (0-1,497) in dHCM and 0.5 (0-91) in cats with cHCM. The number of VPCs, VTach episodes and heart rate was not different between the HCM groups. Plasma serum troponin I was highest in the cats with dHCM, but there was no correlation between cTnI concentration and the number of arrhythmias. Thirteen of 31 cats with HCM di...
Source: The Veterinary Journal - Category: Veterinary Research Source Type: research