Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
How often heart rhythm problems show up in cats by breed and age
By Szlosek, D A et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary cardiology : the official journal of the European Society of Veterinary Cardiology·2024·IDEXX Laboratories Inc., United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Frequency of arrhythmias detected in 9440 feline electrocardiograms by breed, age, and sex.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A study found that 2.64% of cats had an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia) when their heart activity was checked using an electrocardiogram (ECG). Ragdoll cats were more likely to have arrhythmias compared to other breeds, and older cats (especially those over 10 years) were also at higher risk. Male cats showed a slightly higher chance of having an arrhythmia than females. While finding an arrhythmia doesn't always mean there is heart disease, it's important for pet owners to be aware of these risks, especially in older or Ragdoll cats.
People also search for: cat arrhythmia symptoms · Ragdoll cat heart problems · senior cat ECG results
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to describe the frequency of arrhythmias detected in unsedated feline patients from general practice settings. ANIMALS: A total 10,638 feline electrocardiograms (ECGs) were retrospectively collected of which 9440 met the inclusion criteria. METHODS: Recordings were evaluated by a board-certified cardiologist. If an arrhythmia was present in the ECG tracing, the cardiologist categorized the arrhythmia using pre-established keywords. RESULTS: At least one arrhythmia was observed in 249 cases (2.64%, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.34-2.98, 249/9440), with the most common arrhythmia encountered being ventricular premature complexes (1.63%, 95% CI: 1.39%-1.91%, 154/9440). Ragdoll cats had the highest odds of arrhythmia (odds ratio (OR): 3.17, 95% CI: 1.43-6.17, P=0.036). Both geriatric (Age: 13+ years, OR: 1.70, 95% CI: 1.24-2.34, P=0.013) and senior (Age: 10-13 years, OR: 1.68, 95% CI: 1.19-2.37, P=0.003) cats had higher odds of having an arrhythmia than adult cats. The odds of male cats having an arrhythmia were slightly higher than female (OR: 1.36, 95% CI: 1.06-1.76, P=0.018). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Of the 9440 ECGs included in this study, at least one arrhythmia was detected in 249 distinct cases. Arrhythmias were more common in older cats, male cats and the Ragdoll cat breed. While it is important to note that the presence of an arrhythmia alone does not always indicate the presence of heart disease, further research on the association between breed cardiac health is needed.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38128417/