Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Cat with heart failure and slow heartbeat from atrial standstill
By Wienesen, R C & Szatmári, V·Published in Tijdschrift voor diergeneeskunde·2011·Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Netherlands·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: [Heart failure due to atrial standstill in a cat].
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A 7.5-year-old male Persian cat was brought in for severe lethargy and breathing problems. The vet found a slow heart rate and an ECG showed a rare condition called atrial standstill, where the heart's upper chambers don't function properly, likely due to heart muscle damage. Treatment options can include a pacemaker if there are structural issues, but the prognosis is often uncertain. Unfortunately, the cat was euthanized at the owner's request due to the severity of the condition.
People also search for: cat lethargy and breathing problems · atrial standstill in cats · Persian cat heart issues · cat pacemaker treatment
Abstract
A 7.5-year-old male Persian cat with a history of asymptomatic hypertrophic cardiomyopathy was examined for severe lethargy and dyspnoea. Physical examination revealed bradycardia (60 beats/ minute), and ECG investigation revealed persistent atrial standstill that was most likely caused by atrial fibrosis. Persistent atrial standstill is a very rare cardiac condition in cats and is characterized by a complete lack of mechanical, electrical, and possibly endocrine function of the atria. Several pathophysiological mechanisms can cause atrial standstill and include hyperkalaemia, intoxication, and atrialfibrosis. On the basis of the clinical findings, atrial fibrosis was the most likely cause of atrial standstill in this cat. Treatment depends on the underlying cause, but pacemaker implantation can be considered if there are structural abnormalities. The prognosis is guarded in such cases. In this particular case, the cat was euthanized at the owner's request.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21939015/