Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Blood clotting risks in cats with heart muscle disease
By Stokol, T et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary internal medicine·2008·Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Hypercoagulability in cats with cardiomyopathy.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of cats with heart disease, specifically cardiomyopathy, were found to have a condition called hypercoagulability, which means their blood was more prone to clotting. This was particularly noted in cats that had developed blood clots (arterial thromboembolism, or ATE) and those with certain heart changes. The study showed that these cats had higher levels of certain proteins in their blood that indicate clotting issues and damage to blood vessel linings. Understanding this condition is important because it suggests that these cats may be at risk for developing serious complications like ATE, even if they don't show obvious symptoms of heart failure.
People also search for: cat heart disease symptoms · cat blood clot treatment · feline cardiomyopathy management
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Arterial thromboembolism (ATE) is a common complication of feline cardiomyopathy; however, the pathogenesis of ATE is unknown. HYPOTHESIS: Systemic activation of the coagulation cascade (hypercoagulability) and endothelial injury promote ATE in cardiomyopathic cats. ANIMALS: Healthy cats (n = 30) and 3 groups of cardiomyopathic cats: Group (1) left atrial enlargement only (LAE [n = 11]), ie, left atrial to aortic ratio >1.4; Group (2) LAE with spontaneous echocardiographic contrast, atrial thrombi or both (SEC-T [n = 16]); and Group (3) acute ATE with LAE (n = 16). METHODS: Hypercoagulability was defined by 2 or more laboratory abnormalities reflecting coagulation factor excess (high fibrinogen concentration or Factor VIII coagulant activity), inhibitor deficiency (low antithrombin activity), or thrombin generation (high thrombin-antithrombin complex [TAT] and d-dimer concentrations). High von Willebrand factor antigen concentration (vWF : Ag) was considered a marker of endothelial injury. Data were analyzed using nonparametric statistics. RESULTS: The 3 groups of cats with cardiac disease had higher median fibrinogen concentrations than did the healthy cats. Criteria of hypercoagulability were found exclusively in cats with SEC-T (50%) and ATE (56%). Hypercoagulability was not associated with left atrial size or congestive heart failure (CHF). ATE cats had significantly higher median vWF : Ag concentration than did the other groups. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Systemic hypercoagulability is evident in many cardiomyopathic cats, often without concurrent CHF or overt ATE. Hypercoagulabilty may represent a risk factor for ATE. High vWF : Ag in ATE cats was attributed to downstream endothelial injury from the occlusive thrombus.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18466239/