Cardiology update: the EPIC study and what it means for treatment of myxomatous mitral valve disease

Abstract

The results of a study published in 2016 brought welcome news to the world of veterinary cardiology. Myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) is the most common form of acquired heart disease diagnosed in dogs. Before this study released its results, treatment of MMVD was restricted to when dogs developed heart failure as a result of the disease. Despite effective treatment, median survival time is less than a year when dogs are diagnosed with heart failure. Therefore, The Effect of Pimobendan in Dogs with Preclinical Myxomatous Mitral Valve Disease and Cardiomegaly: The EPIC Study – A Randomized Clinical Trial (2016), chose to look at treating MMVD with pimobendan in an attempt to prolong the period before heart failure developed. The EPIC study proved conclusively that administration of pimobendan could delay the onset of heart failure by, on average, 15 months, both safely and effectively.