Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Clinical signs associated with severe ST segment elevation in three cats with a hypertrophic cardiomyopathy phenotype.
- Journal:
- Journal of veterinary cardiology : the official journal of the European Society of Veterinary Cardiology
- Year:
- 2024
- Authors:
- Seo, J et al.
- Affiliation:
- School of Veterinary Science
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
Three cats were brought in because they were collapsing unexpectedly. Tests showed that all three had a heart condition called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), which makes the heart muscle thicker than normal. While monitoring their heart activity, the veterinarians noticed that the collapsing episodes happened during times of severe changes in their heart's electrical signals. The first cat was treated with medications but did not get better and was put to sleep because it was suffering. The second cat was suspected to have a type of cancer affecting the heart and was also euthanized before any treatment could start. The third cat received treatment that helped reduce the collapsing episodes, but it later developed heart failure and was euthanized as well. Overall, the treatments did not lead to successful outcomes for these cats.
Abstract
Three cats were presented for unusual collapsing episodes. Echocardiography revealed a hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) phenotype in each cat. Continuous electrocardiographic monitoring showed that the clinical signs coincided with periods of severe ST-segment elevation in each cat. The first cat was treated with amlodipine and diltiazem but did not improve and was euthanized due to poor quality of life. Postmortem examination revealed cardiac lymphoma without obstructive coronary disease. The second cat was thought to have cardiac lymphoma, based on pericardial effusion cytology, and was euthanized before starting therapy. The third cat was diagnosed with HCM and left ventricular outflow tract obstruction and was treated with atenolol and diltiazem. This treatment reduced the frequency of episodic clinical signs, but the cat subsequently developed congestive heart failure and was euthanized. This case series describes clinical signs associated with severe ST elevation in cats with an HCM phenotype, and their outcomes. Continuous electrocardiographic monitoring was necessary to detect transient ST elevation in each case.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39004067/