Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Extended-release diltiazem once daily for cats with heart thickening
By Wall, Michelle et al.·Published in Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association·2005·Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Evaluation of extended-release diltiazem once daily for cats with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of cats with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (a heart condition) were given either 30 mg or 60 mg of an extended-release medication called diltiazem once a day to see how well it worked. While the higher dose usually kept the medication levels high enough in their blood, some cats experienced side effects like tiredness, stomach issues, and weight loss. These problems were noticed within a week for stomach issues and after a couple of months for weight loss. It's important for pet owners to monitor their cats for these symptoms if they are prescribed this medication.
People also search for: cat heart disease treatment · diltiazem side effects in cats · why is my cat losing weight on medication
Abstract
Serum diltiazem concentrations were evaluated following either 30 mg or 60 mg of an extended-release diltiazem administered orally once daily to 13 cats. Sequential blood samples were obtained over 24 hours. Both dosages usually resulted in elevated serum concentrations of >200 ng/mL at 6, 12, 18, and 24 hours. The 30-mg dosage was sometimes associated with low serum concentrations of <50 ng/mL at 18 and 24 hours. The 60-mg dosage (9.3 to 14.8 mg/kg) was associated with lethargy, gastrointestinal disturbances, and weight loss in nine (36%) of 25 client-owned cats. Gastrointestinal disturbances were recognized within 1 week, and weight loss was detected after 2 to 6 months of treatment.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15767652/